2B - The Michigan Daily - December 6, 1999 - SportsMonday

- CLUB SPORTS CORNER

EDITED BY DAVID DEN HERDER

Skaters open season at Ice Cube

The Michigan synchronized figure
skating club held its own against a field
of some of the best national and interna-
tional teams in the Dr. Porter Team
Competition this past weekend at the
Ann Arbor Ice Cube.
In their first competition of the season,
and first ever at the senior level, the
Wolverines placed fifth in the six-team
field. But the low finish might be mis-
leading, because the Wolverines faced
defending national champion Miami's
junior varsity squad and Team Elan
International.
"Competing on the senior level places
the club figure skating team on a varsity
calibre status," said co-captain Sarah
Townsend. "This will hopefully eventu-
ally help our recruiting over teams like
Miami of Ohio, who have a varsity
team."
On the first night of competition in the
short program, Michigan placed fifth,
mostly due to two costly falls and a few
Shoot! Buckeyes
gun down Blue
rife club
The Michigan rifle club lost to
arch-rival Ohio State this weekend
4,511-3,641.
The Wolverines, who return only
two gunmen from last year, were
paced by solid performances from a
number of individuals.
Leading the way for Michigan was
Jon Mieling with 1,002 points, while
Neil McNeight tallied 924.
Along with Mieling and
McNeight, Michigan got strong
showings from Matt Wolterstorff,
with 903 points, and Ray Braekevelt
with 832 points.
However, despite these heroic

missing technical elements. But overall
they performed quite well.
"If you watched it you would have
thought we placed higher," said
Townsend.
On Sunday in the short program, the
team performed much better, receiving
all second places and one third place
marks. Placing fifth, they beat Team
Bramer from Minnesota, which compet-
ed in Nationals last year.
This helps the Wolverines see how
they stack up against quality competi-
tion, as they hope to be one of the top six
teams to compete in this year's nationals.
These skaters remain confident in
their quest, Townsend said. "We could
very well take the conference this year"
The Wolverines will next be in action
this Saturday at Western Michigan, com-
peting in a Midwestern Collegiate
Conference meet that will test their met-
tle against the nation's elite.

M' SCHEDULE
Tuesday. December 7
Women's Basketball vs. Vanderbilt, 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 8
Men's Basketball vs. Kent, 7:00 p.m.
Friday. December 10
Hockey vs. Nebraska-Omaha, 7:35 p.m.
Wrestling at Michigan State, 7:30 p.m.
Women's Gymnastics Intrasquad Scrimmage,
5 p.m.
Saturday. December 11
Men's Basketball vs Duke, 4:00 p.m.
Women's Basketball at LSU., 2:00 p.m.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL

COACHES' POLL

Team
1. Florida State (56)
2. Virginia Tech (3)
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Tennesee
6. Alabama
7. Kansas State
8. Michigan
9. Michigan State
10. Florida
11. Marshall
12. Minnesota
13. Texas A&M

Rec.
11-0
11-0
11-1
9-2
9-2
10-2
10-1
9-2
9-2
9-3
12-0
8-3
8-3

NEBRASKA 22, Texas 6 (Bix XIL Championship)
ALABAMA 34, Florida 7 (SEC Championship)
Navy 19, ARMY 9 (in Philadelphia)
MARSHALL 34, W. Mich. 30 (MAC Champ.-Fri.)
AP POLL
Associated Press Top 25, Dec. 5
(first-place votes in parentheses)

Pts.
1,472
1,415
1,330
1,276
1,187
1,183
1,145
1,065
997
898
819
715
701
653
616
590
586
563
473
347
308
181
153
147
102


USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Top 25, Dec. 5
(first-place votes in parentheses)

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Who: LeeAnn Bies Sport: Basketball
Hometown: Port Huron, Michigan Position: Center
Year: Freshman
Why: Was named MVP of this weekend's Gene Hackerman
Invitational after recording a double-double with 18 points and 10
boards in Saturday's 63-47 win over host Rice to help the Wolverines
to a program-best 7-0 start ,.. recorded 13 points along with six
blocks during Friday's 84-55 win over New Mexico State.
Background: Attended Lakeview High School (1999) ... third in bal-
loting for Miss Basketball in Michigan . ..Lakeview went 79-1 during Bies
her four years including four district championships. .Enrolled in the
college of Literature, Science, and the Arts

14. Southern Mississippi 8-3


15. Georgia Tech
16. Mississippi State
17. Penn State
18. Texas
19. East Carolina
20. Purdue
21. Stanford
22. Boston College
23. Miami (Fla.)
24. Georgia
25. BYU

8-3
9-2
9-3
9-4
9-2
7-4
8-3
8-3
8-4
7-4
8-3

- Joe Sm

ith


efforts, Michigan simply was not
able to overcome the stellar marks-
manship displayed by their neighbors
from the south.
Displaying calm and discipline in
the face of pressure and total
anonymity, Ohio State was able to
triumph.
"They're a varsity level team,"
McNeight said. "We were outclassed.
They have superior training, equip-
ment and shooters.
"Our equipment is a little on the
antique side."
Part of Ohio State's "superior
training" may involve extra practices.
Michigan only practices once per
week, compared to the six practices
per week afforded a varsity-type
team like Ohio State.
- Arun Gopal and Raphael'
Goodstein


Team
1. Florida State (56)
2. Virginia Tech (3)
3. Nebraska
4. Wisconsin
5. Tennesee
f Alabama
7. Kansas State
8. Michigan
9. Michigan State
10. Florida
11. Marshall
12. Minnesotai
13. Texas A&M4
14. Southern Mississippia
15. Georgia Tech 1
16. Mississippi Statec
17. Penn State
18. Texas
19. East Carolina S
20. Purdue7
21. StanfordE
22. Boston College E
23. Miami (Fla.) E
24. Georgia7
25. BYUE

Rec.
11-0
11-0
11-1
9-2
9-2
10-2
10-1
9-2
9-2
9-3
12-0
8-3
8-3
8-3
8-3
9-2
9-3
9-4
9-2
7-4
8-3
8-3
8-4
7-4
8-3

Pts.
1,472
1,415
1,330
1,276
1,187
1,183
1,145
1,065
997
898
819
715
701
653
616
590
586
563
473
347
308
181
153
147
102

Prey.
1
2
3
4
6
8
7
9
10
5
11
13
14
15
16
18
17
12
19
20
21
22
24
23
25

AEIC
AFC EAST
Indianapolis
Miami
Buffalo
NwEngland
AFC ENRAL
Jacksonville
Tennessee
Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
AFC WEST
Seattle
Kansas City
Oakland
San Diego
Denver
N;
NFC EAST
Washington
Dallas
Arizona
NY Giants
Philadelphia
NFCENTRAL
Detroit
Minnesota
Tampa Bay
Green Bay
Chicago
NFC WEST
St. Louis
Carolina
San Francisco
Atlanta
New Orleans

NFL STANDINGS

W
10
8
8
7
4
W
11
9
5
5
3
2
w
8
7
6
5
4

L
2
4
4
5
8
L
1
3
7
7
10
11
L
4
5
6
7
8

T
0
0
0
0
0
T
0
0
0
0
0
0
T
0
0
0
0
0

14:

r m a is l

NHL STANDINGS

..

SPORTS BRIEFS


State promotes
Williams to head
football coach
EAST LANSING (AP) - Michigan
State removed the five-day-old interim
tag from Bobby Williams' title Sunday
and made him the football coach of the
bowl-bouind Spartans.
He succeeds Nick Saban, who on
Tuesday became Louisiana State's
coach. Williams was to be introduced at
an afternoon news conference.
After Saban left, Michigan State
made Williams the interim coach and
said he will coach the Spartans (9-2) in
the Florida Citrus Bowl against Florida
on New Year's Day.
Williams, 41, has coached seven
1,000-yard rushers in his decade as the
Spartans' running backs coach. He had
been promoted to associate head coach
before this season.
Last week, when he was made inter-
im coach, Williams received a standing
ovation from the team. At the time, he
told his players how much he wanted to
win the Citrus Bowl.
"Not for me, for you," Williams said.
"Everything from this point on is mov-
ing forward. We're going to get it done."
This will be the Spartans' first New
Year's Day bowl game since the 1989
Gator Bowl.
Australia claims
Davis Cup title
NICE, France (AP) -- Australia's
long, difficult road to the Davis Cup
final ended with toy kangaroos tossed
on the court; and Mark Philippoussis
enjoying a tennis moment like no other.
Philippoussis, who did not play any
Davis Cup matches last year because of
d dispute with team leaders, beat Cedric

Pioline of France 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
Sunday to conclude the 100th anniver-
sary of the showcase event.
"This is the best moment of my life,'
Philippoussis said." I concentrated real-
ly well I can honestly say that I heard no
noise from the crowd, just the ball hit-
ting the line, the line calls and my heart
beating."
Philippoussis, again relying on his
big serve, had 15 aces in a victory that
gave Australia an unbeatable 3-1 lead in
the best-of-5 final. This was Australia's
27th Davis Cup title and its first since
1986.
After the final point, Philippoussis
was lifted by his teammates, as hun.
dreds of cheering Aussies in the crowd
waved banners and tossed inflatable
kangaroos.
Cone sigs new
deal with Yankees
NEW YORK (AP) - David Cone
will return to the New York Yankees
next season, after agreeing to a one-year
deal with the World Series champions, a
sourceclose to the negotiations told The
Associated Press yesterday.
Cone, who was seeking a two-year
contract, agreed to the deal - pending
a physical -.before a deadline Tuesday.
The Yankees had no comment and calls
to Cone's a gent, Steve Fehr, were not
immediately returned.
A clause in Cone's expired contract
gave the 36-year-old right-hander the
right to prohibit the team from offering
him salary arbitration, according to
baseball sources.
If Cone had exercised that right and
didn't sign with the Yankees by Tuesday,
New York would have been unable to re-
sign him before May 1.
Cone said last week that other teams
have contacted his agent, but that he
wanted to deal with the Yankees first.

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NORTHEAST
Toronto
Ottawa
Boston
Buffalo
Montreal

GPWLT
28 1519 4
27 14112
27 11 9 7
27 11 133
27 9 171

RT PTS GFGA
2 36 80 59
0 29 70 69
0 25 70 74
1 20 56 71

W
7
6
6
6

L
6
6
6
10

ATLANTIC GP W L T RT PTS GF GA
Philadelphia 28 16 8 4 1 35 81 61
New Jersey 25 13 9 3 2 31 70 62
Pittsburgh 24 8 13 3 4 23 75 74
NY Rangers 26 8 14 4 1 21 60 75
NY Islanders 23 6 14 3 0 15 47 71

T
0
0
0

Freshman Jamie Hertza is one of several new faces who will try to help the
Michigan men's gymnastics team win another national championship.
'M' gymnasts begin,
defense o il

7 4 - 0
7 4 0

t
7
C
S
C
R
C
N
V
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El
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F'1
si
Lc
0
A
PF

$QUTHEAST GP W L T
lorida 25 14 9 2
Carolina 2711 9 7
Washin on 25 9 11 S
TTaa ay 26 9143
AtlantaY 24 7 15 2

RT PTS GFGA
0 29 64 67
1 24 62 71
2 23 7283
1 17 57 88

W
10
5
3
3
2

9
10

T
8
0
0
0

CENTRAL.
St. Louis
Detroit
Nashville
Chicago

2P
27
25
26

WIT
17 8 2
16 8 3
8 16 1
6 16 4
'WI.
11 106
12 123
8 126
10 14e

R

RT PTSGF G
0 36 82 56
1 36 90 64
2 19 61 78
2 18 70 87

NORTHWEST GP
Vancouver 27
Colorado 27
Edmonton 26
Calgary 26

T9
6
3 1
6

PAFIC GP W L T1RTI
Phoenix 27 17 7 30
San Jose 31 1513 2
LosAngeles27 14 7 6 1
Dallas 27 1311 3 1
Anaheim 28 1312 3 1
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

T P 4TSGFG
1 29 74 8
1 28 74 7'
0 22 65
PAS GF GA
37 89 6.3
35 90 80
35 86 68
30 60 60
30 71 66

HILADELPHIA 3, St. Louis 2

----RNWR.NFI

NBA STANDINGS

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TORONTO 98, San Antonio 92
Charlotte 103, SEATTLE 81
MILWAUKEE 103, Dallas 97
Denver 80, NEW YORK KNICKS 78
Portland 92, PHOENIX 90
Orlando at LOS ANGELES LAKERS, INC
IAY's GAME'
Denver at PHILADELPHIA
Sacramento at NEW JERSEY
Vancouver at HOUSTON
Washington at UTAH
Miami at LA CLIPPERS
Stats and polls compiled by Daily Sports
Writers Arun Gopal and Brandon Sanz
DAILY SPORTS IS
LOOKING FOR
WRITERS.
Call us at 647-3336, or
stop by 420 Maynard
St. next to the Student
Activities Building.


YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
DETROIT 33, Washington 17
ATLANTA 35, New Orleans 12
BALTIMORE 41, Tennessee 14
St. Louis 34, CAROUNA 21
Green Bay 35, CHICAGO 19
CINCINNAll 44, San Francisco 30
Indianapolis 37, MIAMI 34
NY GIANTS 41, NYets28
ARIZONA 21, Philadelphia 17
Kansas City 16, DENER 10
OAKLAND 30, Seattle 21
SAN DIEGO 23, Cleveland 10
NEW ENGLAND 13, Dallas 6
Minnesota at TAMPA BAY (TONIGHT}
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

By Rohit Shave .
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan men's gymnastics
team, fresh off a national champi-
onship in April, competed in its
intrasquad scrimmage Friday at Cliff
Keen Arena.
The Maize squad topped the Blue
squad, 165.500 to 163.750. The lower
score from last year (Blue over Maize,
219.86-216.65) can be attributed to
having fewer available gymnasts to
tabulate the team scores.
But if you compare just the top scor-
ers from each event, the 1999 Maize
team topped the 1998 Blue team by a
margin of three points, 223 to 219.85.
The improvement was made despite
the loss of all-American Justin Toman
and the limited use of fellow all-
American Daniel Diaz-Luong due to
injury.
Senior Tim Dehr cite the better
score despite the loss of the two all-
Americans as indication of a vastly
improved team. '
"The NCAA rule change allowing
more difficult routines has further

sharpened our focus and has pushed
our training even more," Dehr said.
Considering that last year's team
won the national championship, such
praise is quite lofty.
Senior Bryan Pascoe points to the
larger participation in off-season train-
ing.
"We use the intrasquad scrimnage
to evaluate where we are as a tear
prior to the season," Pascoe said.
"Although a few routines were rough,
this season looks very promising.
"I would assess us to be as good or
better than last year's team at this
point."
"We have lost only one senior from
last year- Captain Randy D'Amura.
- and we return Captains Justin
Toman and Kevin Ralston, so our lead-'
ership is largely intact." 0
The team's first meet is the Windy
City Invitational in Chicago on Jan.
16.
Until then, they will train with an
emphasis on being able to masterithe
higher difficulty routines, giving them
a definite advantage in meets.

Desmond'returns' to
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7
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14

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GB
5
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10

PONTIAC (AP) - Former Super
Bowl MVP Desmond Howard
exploded in his debut with the Lions,
returning a punt 68 yards for a
touchdown in the second quarter.
Howard, cut by the Green Bay
Packers on Tuesday, signed with the
Detroit Lions on Saturday. The
Packers had cut Howard because he
had -been ineffective and tentative as
a return man and had not caught a
pass as a receiver. He also had been
inactive for three weeks because of
dislocated ring fingers on both
hands.
For most of his career, Howard
was considered a bust. The Lions are
the fifth team Howard has played for
since being drafted by the
Washington Redskins fourth overall
in the NFL Draft.
Howard, 29, won the Heisman
Trophy at Michigan in 1991, aver-
aged 19.2 yards on 19 kickoff
returns this season ard 7.8 yards on

12 punt returns.
He had 244 return yards in * the
Packers' 35-21 Super Bowl win over
New England, including a 99-yard
kickoff return for a touchdown. He
became the first special-teams play-
er to be named Super Bowl MVP 0
Seeking more playing time at
receiver, he signed with the Raiders
before the 1997 season.
After two disappointing seasons
with the Raiders during which he'
caught just six passes, Howard
signed a four-year, $5.71 million
contract with the Packers in June.
But the first two years of the deal
with the Packers were for just $1.21
million, and he won't receive .tte'
final $4.5 million because he failed
to stay with the team.
Terms of his deal were not dis-
closed.
To make room on their 53-mnin
roster, the Lions released linebacker
A"dre Colihns.

F

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