LANGFELD ON DECK BY DAVID DEN HERDER - DAILY SPORTS WRITER _ - a Am lI A / IA'f 1 7rt :.... y a . " n ~ t , . c .E , . . . Josh Langfeld was going to be a baseball player. And why not? He was an all-state catch- er at the largest high school in Minnesota. Sure, he played football and hockey, too - all-conference - but baseball was going to get him a scholarship. "Coming out of high' school, I really didn't even pursue hockey," Langfeld said. "I just kind of thought I'd play baseball - that's what I always played." But as one play can make or break a game, it can do the same for a career. Entering his senior year. Langfeld tore half his ACL and 80 percent of the cartilage in his right knee. He missed five football games and suf- fered with the injury throughout hockey season. By the time Langfeld had a diplo- ma, he had injured his other knee as well. "I realized I wasn't going to be a catcher any more," Langfeld said. "So I said, 'Hey, I'm gonna go play hockey,' and went out for the Frontier Hockey League after high school." The American Frontier Hockey League. Ever seen Slapshot? Langfeld joined the Great Falls (Mont.) Americans - a team fresh- man goalie Josh Blackburn had played for one year earlier. Langfeld would travel from city to city across the Northern United States - up to 16 hours in either direction -- in the team-ownedi77 Challenger, playing in front of crowds that rarely topped 1,000. "The road trips were ridiculous," he remembers. "We saw everything - antelope, deer, moose. Driving through the passes, there's five feet of ice on the road and you've got your coach dri- ving the bus." Things were just as outlandish on the rink. Hard checking, fighting, brawling - they were all nightly occurrences. Langfeld recalls at least four broken noses during that season. "We only had one good line, so if we were winning, they'd line-brawl us, and the line would get kicked out," he remembers. "Then they'd come back and beat us. We only won like eight games." And half-way through the season, the Americans declaredbankruptcy. "Chapter I I," chuckles Langfeld. "It was terrible. I didn't know where my next meal was coming from playing out there." Shortly after his team went belly-up, it was pur- chased by USA Hockey. and was allowed to play out that sea- son's schedule. Langfeld fin- ished the sea- son king of / the wild Frontier --selected rookie of the year and first-team all- league -- but told his coach he would not be returning for another fracas of a season. His stats earned him a spot in the United States Hockey League, where he was drafted by the Lincoln Stars. After re-injuring his knee, Langfeld went on to score 35 goals and played in the USHL All-Star Game. Finally people knew who he was. Colleges knew who he was. More specifically, Red Berenson knew who he was. And Langfeld knew what he want- ed. "Everybody I talked to was like, 'You gotta go to Michigan, you gotta go to Michigan," Langfeld said. Berenson traveled to Lincoln to watch Langfeld play, and offered him a full-ride scholarship on the spot. A scholarship - for hockey! "He was like, 'I can't give you anything else,' and I was like, 'I don't want anything else! I Ju s t USED DESKS - TABLES - CHAIRS - COMPUTERS Dressers, Sofa beds, and other equipment PLYMOUTH.1 HURONm PARKWAY 3241 Baxter m XE BAXTER - "'want to go to Michigan,"' L a n g f e I d said. In turn, Langfeld verbally committed on the spot (never haling seen Ann Arbor), unbeknownst to at least 10 college scouts who planned to talk to him the next morning. After committing to a school, the NCAA mandates that athletes have no more contact with other rep- resentatives. So the following morning, Langfeld drove Berenson to the rink, and proceeded to walk right past the other coaches, directly into the lock- erroom. Berenson informed the scouts that Langfeld had already committed to Michigan. "They were kind of bitter - but - it was one of the better days, I'd say," Langfeld said. Just like that, he was a Wolverine, and an understudy of Berenson. "Coach was pretty intimidating," Langfeld remembered. "I think I ate dinner with him and I didn't eat a thing. I sat there for about two hours and had about two sips out of a glass of water." Langfeld made the trek to Ann Arbor, and, aside from getting used to the coach's persona, had no prob- lem adjusting to the college game. He saw action in every game last year, and scored the most goals by a Michigan freshman since Bill Muckalt in 1994. It had indeed been a long, strange trip to the electric atmosphere of Yost Arena. "Two years before, when I was in high school, I never would have thought it," Langfeld said. "It's kind of unique in a sense - being from Minnesota and never thinking you're going to be playing hockey. And in the same sense, coming to Michigan and winning the national champi- onship." Oh, yes. The national champi- onship. Langfeld has become something of a hero in Ann Arbor, after the whole 'sudden-death-overtime-goal- to-beat-Boston-College-and-wi n- the-NCAA-title' thing last spring. It's a touch ironic, too. because Langfeld has never really had the best of luck in overtime situations. His high school team lost in the state semifinals three years in a row to the same team, by one goal. in overtime. His Lincoln Stars lost in the National Junior semifinals by one goal, in double-overtime. And until that fateful day in Boston, he had not scored a single goal for the Wolverines in overtime. Langfeld still has trouble keeping total composure when he, or any- body, talks about the goal. "I'm not very talkative, and I'm not verv - you know, I don't really - I just kind of lost it when I scored that goal. It was the best feeling of my life." That moment - one that seemed so unlikely - must have been worth it. It must have been worth the torn cartilage, worth the broken noses, worth the day-long bus rides to nowhere. It must have been worth the faded boyhood dream of a baseball schol- arship anywhere in the country. "The game could have been over 10 minutes before all that I did if it wasn't for the rest of the guys. I just did what was right at the time." In the long run, it certainly appears that way. Last year's overall record: 19-15-4 Last year's CCHA record: 15-12-3 Last year's results vs. Michigan Nov. 7 Mich. 5, N. Mich. 3 Nov. 8 N. Mich. 1, Mich. 0 b. 14 Mich. 4, N. Mich. 2 1997 3 games against Michigan Oct. 31 Ann Arbor Dec. 11 Ann Arbor Dec. 27 Detroit* Mar. 6 Marquette Players to watch Yr. Pos. Buddy Smith Sr. C Roger Trudeau Jr. W Head coach Rick Comley, 23rd season - Notable: Northern is currentiy con- structing a $9.5 M events center with an Olympic-size ice surface. e nO advance in'(hgeGram L*ke 4 CCHA Rank - Media Poll Northern Michigan rejoined the CCHA last year to post their first win- ning record since 1993, and this year's strong deposit of returning talent should have the Wildcats once again in the above-.Q0) catecory Coach Rick (omlev loses only two players from last year's roster, and will have 88 percent of his offensive produc- tiv ity back for another season. if w're eoin to et better, it's cer- tainly predicated by our returning play- ers becoming better," Comlev said. Senior captain Buddy Smith will lead Northern's offense, which is completely intact from last season. Smith has led the team in scoring the past two seasons. Also returning will be junior Roger Trudeau, who led the Wildcats in goals last year with 16. Sophomore defensemen Doug Schmidt and Jeff White head up Northern's blueline attack, while junior Duane loey will return for his second See WILDCATS, Page 16B ..+0 y C r Irish on verge of breakthrough cm tna& Northern should post strong record again UNIVERSITY OFI MICHIGAN PROPERTY DISPOSITION 764-2470 HOURS Monday Noon-6pm Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday Noon - 4pm Friday Noon 7:30 - 11:30am ....s I ;.1 I CCHA Rank - Media Poll .tier grauduating hisla ring goal- tender and losing a sophomore-to-be to the NIHL. Notre IDame coach Dave Poulin has but one option: start up the Karr. 'T'he Fighting Irish wil turn to senior goaltender Forrest Karr to lead them through the demanding CCHA schedule. Karr replaces the departed Matt Eisler. who ended his career with the lowest goals against average in Notre Dame history. Last year's overall record: 18-19-4 Last year's CCHA record: 12-14-4 Last year's results vs. Michigan Jan. 30 Mich. 7, N.D. 2 Jan. 31 Mich. 5, N.D. 4 (OT) Mar. 7 Mich.1, N.D. 0 Mar. 13-15 Mich. wins series 2-1 1997-98 games against Michigan Nov. 14 South Bend Nov. 21 Ann Arbor Jan. 30 South Bend Players to watch Yr. Pos. Ben Simon Jr. C Benoit Cotnoir Sr. D Head coach Dave Poulin, third season Notable: The Irish leprachaun is a really short guy. ®PRINTING . LOWEST PRICES! HIGHEST QUA LIlY! ® FASTEST SER VICE! ® 1002 PONTIAC TR. U 994-1367 But if there's anyone who can slide ihIC siartin< t aO edi n t i a . Kr h The scnioi xvon imnM r iVe road aim s at Ohio State Wi cOnsin last season, prov ing his capability. "Forrest Karr has handled himself very well when he's been in there." Poulin said. "He's anxious to get a shot." Luckily for Karr, he'll have help. Defenseman Benoit Cotnoir also returns, having ranked third in scoring among CCHA defensemen last sea- son. Notre Dame suffered a big blow when '97 CCHA Rookie of the Year Mark Eaton left school to sign an offer shy : ith the Philadelphia Flyers, and wili have to rebuild with the help of a five-member freshman class. Notre Dame came close to estab- lishing itself as a major conference power in last year's CCHA playoffs. Facing Michigan in game three of the best-of-three first round at a hostile Yost Ice Arena, the Irish jumped out to a 2-0 lead before crumbling and los- ing 4-3. Poulin knows his team may be just one step away from the big stage, and this season will go a long way toward determining whether or not Notre Dame is finally for real. -Chris Dupr-ey "A THROBBING SUCCESS. TUMULTUOUSLY PERCUSSIVE. - DETROIT FREE PRESS -Ciwis Duprev I QAIIAheR s Eatery & Sports Bar Are you feeling sad or Medication free women suffering from depression between the ages of 18-55 are needed for treatment and research project studying brain chemistry. Flexible schedule desirable. There will be compensation of up to$400.00 upon completion of study. For further information call Sara at 936-4395 * Burgers * Pizza * Huge Sandwiches * Appetizers *Over 100 different bottled beers from around the world - '1 k" .4 . Over 30 Tv's N + 3 Giant Screen tv's + Pool tables - One 9 ft! *Video Games - Pinball + Free NTN Trivia * Banquet Facilities Ashley's is proud to support MICHIGAN HOCKEY 97-98 National Champs iRepeat Repeat Repeat After the games visit Ashley's. Our kitchen is open late for a post hockey bite to eat! 338 S. State * 996-9191o* http://www.Ashleys.com ON SALE NOW! OCTOBER 19 a20 THREE SHOWS ONLY! (734)763-TKTS TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE MICHIGAN UNION BOX OFFICE AND ALL m OUTLETS, CALL 248.645.666w POWER CENTER SPONSORED BY UNITED AIRLINES Let the Good times Rollt 1/2 mile south of 1-94, Corner of State (Exit 177) and Ellsworth 665-1600 Outdoor Deck Complimentary apps 3 to 6pm M-F 3965 S. State Street 40