The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - January 13, 2003 - 7B
'M' opens season with invitational
By Ellen McGarrity
Daily Sports Writer
The meet was over and the fresh-
men gathered in a huddle, surrounded
by the rest of the team. As the women
finished chanting "Hail to the Vic-
tors," the newcomers were doused in
water by fellow teammates, in an act
of initiation.
"I think it's a freshmen thing,"
pole-vaulter Elizabeth Boyle said,
describing the surprise water attack.
On Saturday, the Wolverines com-
pleted their first official event of
the indoor season. They hosted
Eastern Michigan, Siena Heights,
Western Michigan, Detroit, Toledo,
Macomb and IUPUI in their Jack
Harvey Invitational.
The team, which triumphed as
Big Ten Champions last year in both
indoor and outdoor track, once
again showed off its talents in the
weekend invitational.
Boyle was the one that shined bright-
est, as fans applauded her record-break-
ing pole vault height of 12'6" - six
inches higher than the previous record.
"I was very happy with the results,"
Boyle said. "But I was more excited
to be wearing the Michigan uniform
for the first time."
Michigan associate head coach
Mike McGuire was also pleased
with his team's performance in the
weekend's meet.
"It was a really good first meet,"
McGuire said. "Some of the girls'
performances looked like second- or
third- meet style and we're only in
the first meet of the season."
One of those great performances
came from senior April Phillips, one
of the three team captains. She took
first in the shot put event with a
pitch of 14.31 meters and placed
second in the weight throw.
"I'm a senior so this meet was
kind of special - it was my last
first meet," Phillips said.
Other highlights included senior
Robin Landfair's win in the 60-
meter low hurdles and Hawaii native
Vera Simms' victory in the long
jump.
McGuire also said he was
impressed with the efforts of the
team sprinters and mile runners.
Senior Carly Knazze took third in
both the 200- and 400-meter dashes
while freshman Shavonne Maclin
and sophomore Keri Kirk were not
far behind with fourth- and fifth-
place finishes in the 400, respec-
tively.
In the 600-meter run, sophomore
Theresa Feldkamp claimed first
place with a time of 1:34.58, fol-
lowed closely by senior Rachel
Sturtz who came in second.
The mile-run was dominated by
freshman Katie Erdman, junior
Andrea Parker and sophomore
Chelsea Loomis, who crossed the
finish line in second, third and
fourth places, respectively.
Since the invitational was non-
scoring, it gave Michigan a good
chance to warm up for next week's
meet against Michigan State, Kent
State and arch-rival Indiana.
"This meet was really a stepping
stone for the team," McGuire said.
"Next week the atmosphere and
intensity will be magnified."
In fact, McGuire and head coach
James Henry decided to purposely hold
some of the best team members back
this week to give them a long rest
before competing next Saturday.
Freshman Rebecca Walter was
among them. Walter, who was the top
finisher during her first women's cross-
country season, has the potential to
complete an even better track season.
Now that the Wolverines have had
some time to limber up, they will be
practicing hard to prepare for Indiana.
"We're geared up for Indiana."
Phillips said. "We want to win, but
won't kill ourselves over it."
TONY DING/Daily
Freshman Porsha Ellis and the Michigan women's track team opened the season this weekend with a non-scoring event, the
Jack Harvey invitational.
East defeats
West 20-17 in
Shrne game
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Torrie Cox rushed
up to Ken Dorsey in the locker room to make
sure Miami's star quarterback didn't get away
before signing his shirt.
"National championship game this year and
last year, you have to get Ken," said Cox, a
defensive back for Pittsburgh who grew up in
Miami. "Plus, he's from my hometown."
Dorsey, of the national runner-up Hurricanes,
threw for 192 yards and led a scoring drive in the
East's 20-17 victory in the East-West Shrine
Classic on Saturday.
West Virginia's Avon Cobourne ran for two
touchdowns, and Donald Lee of Mississippi State
caught four passes for 122 yards and the go-
ahead score for the East. Louisiana State's Jerel
Myers added six catches for 148 yards.
The game features many of the nation's pre-
mier college players, divided into teams from the
East and West.
"I was hoping to get 100 yards," said
Cobourne, who finished with 72 on seven car-
ries. "I did what I could. I just came down here
to make myself a little more known."
orsey was the first of three quarterbacks for
the East, and returned in the fourth quarter. He
was 9-of-18 passing and directed the scoring
drive on the East's first possession, capped by
Cobourne's 41-yard run.
It was almost like a home game for Dorsey,
who was a star at Miramonte High School in
nearby Orinda.
Dorsey's Hurricanes lost the Fiesta Bowl to
Ohio State 31-24 in double overtime Jan. 3, and
the quarterback was happy to have another
chance to put the pads on so soon.
It wasn't just his teammates who wanted his
autograph. Dorsey had about 100 fans in the
stands at Pacific Bell Park. The closest he'd ever
played to home during college was at Washington
and in Los Angeles.
"I got to sign a few," Dorsey said. "The best
part is to give back to the community. This is
right in my backyard."
Lee's 5-yard touchdown catch with 14:56
remaining put the East up 13-10, and Cobourne
ran 5 yards for a score with 49 seconds left. Lee
Blue impressive at
Jack Harvey Invite
By Nicole Stanton
and Julie Master L'Hereux said.
For the Daily Both coaches and teammates
hoped for an outstanding showing
A few seconds into the 400-meter from L'Hereux, and that confidence
dash, sophomore Seth Waits saw led him to victory.
himself in a tough situation. The Wolverines' camaraderie was
He lagged behind three opponents a main theme at the exhibition.
by nearly 40 meters, and it didn't Even though two of Michigan's top
seem possible for him to win. But runners, sophomore Nate Brannen
quickly, he soared from behind to and freshmen Nick Willis, did not
win first place at 49.3 seconds, his participate, they went to support
fastest time yet. their teammates who did compete in
Just like Waits, after a relaxing the meet.
two-week vacation, the rest of the The close team atmosphere is
Michigan's track team came back at something the Wolverines hope will
full blast at the Jack Harvey Invita- be beneficial in their meets down
tional Saturday. the road.
The Wolverines had just a week to "We hang out as much as we can as a
prepare for the meet, but despite the team, and we also try to support each
short layoff, they were ready to run other as much as possible at practice,"
when the time came. sophomore Nathan Taylor said.
"I felt pretty confident today and "I have definitely noticed that our
had a few good weeks of practice, team unity is better than last year.
and knew I could come out and have We are all striving for the team goal
a good race," Waits said. .f ,akin, the Big Ten Champ,
Although the meet was non-scor- onships, and teamwork will help get
ing; the competition was still fierce, us there."
and Michigan was hopeful that a high Wayurst agreed with Taylor's
energy level would help prepare for assessment.
the rest of the season. "Track is an individual sport, and
"(Saturday's) meet (was) really individually athletes have to perform.
an opportunity to -whip the team If the individuals perform, it makes
back in shape after vacation," coach the team stronger,"Warhurst said.
Ron Warhurst said. "You have to have enough self
Senior Alex L'Hereux was respect and respect for your team-
impressive, pulling out a first-place mates to say that you want to be a
finish in the mile, with an astonish- good team member, and do as best
ing time of 4:14. you can. You can't isolate yourself
"Today I came out and did what because track takes on a holistic
my coaches and I expected," theory of life."
AP PHOTO
Former Miami (Fla.) quarterback Ken Dorsey may not have won the Fiesta Bowl, but he did lead the East to
victory over the West in the East-West Shrine classic.
was named offensive player of the game.
Arizona quarterback Jason Johnson completed
17 of 30 passes for 275 yards and two touch-
downs for the West, including a 14-yard TD
strike to Keenan Howry of Oregon with 3 sec-
onds left.
"The goal this week was to have fun and give it
my best shot," Johnson said. "And don't worry
about things I can't control - agents, the NFL,
scouts."
Johnson hit Southern California's Sultan
McCullough on a 76-yard screen pass for a
touchdown 2:30 before halftime that put the West
ahead 10-6. But that was one of few highlights
for the West, which missed two first-half scoring
chances in the red zone.
Notre Dame's Gerome Sapp intercepted John-
son at the goal line late in the first quarter. Then,
UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas led the West to
the 1 but the team had to settle for a 20-yard
field goal by Mike Barth of Arizona State with
8:45 left in the first half.
The East missed a scoring opportunity of its
own in the third quarter when quarterback Curt
Anes was intercepted in the end zone by Califor-
nia's Nnamdi Asomugha, but Lee's score made
up for it.
Ohio State, which won its first national cham-
pionship in 34 years, had three representatives:
safety Michael Doss, punter Andy Groom and
safety Donnie Nickey.
Cal and Colorado each had four players, the
most of all schools. Cal defensive lineman Tully
Banta-Cain was named defensive player of the
game after he made four tackles, forced two fum-
bles and had 1 1/2 sacks.
The game was a homecoming for East coach
Tyrone Willingham, who just finished his first
season coaching Notre Dame following seven
seasons as head coach at Stanford.
Agassi and Williams prepare for Aussie Open
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -
For Serena Williams and Andre Agassi,
just starting the Australian Open is an
improvement from last year.
Both were hurt right before the 2002
tournament. That wiped out Agassi's
hopes of winning a third straight Aus-
tralian Open and, it turned out,
Williams' winning all four Grand Slam
tournaments in one calendar year.
Williams twisted her right ankle
chasing a drop shot in a warmup tour-
nament in Sydney. When she recovered,
she was just about invincible, winning
the French Open, Wimbledon and U.S.
Open and moving up to No. 1 in the
rankings.
In the two weeks starting today, she is
trying for a "Serena Slam" as reigning
champion of all four major tournaments.
The last woman to do that was Steffi
Graf, who added the 1994 Australian
title to her victories in the other majors
in 1993. Graf also is one of only three
women with a true Grand Slam. She did
that in 1988, following Maureen Con-
nolly in 1953 and Margaret Court in
1970.
Serena wants to be the fourth.
"I want to be undefeated" in 2003,
she said.
That probably would mean more vic-
tories against older sister Venus, the
runner-up to Serena at three Grand
Slam events in 2002. If they meet in
Australia, it only would be in the final
because Venus - who has won major
titles to her credit - is seeded second.
Neither sister has reached an Aus-
tralian Open final. Serena's best result
was reaching the quarterfinals in 2001.
Venus reached the semifinals that year.
After playing well in the United
States' victory in the Hopman Cup,
Serena skipped this year's Sydney
tournament.
In contrast, Agassi went right back to
the Kooyong Classic exhibition event,
where he hurt his right wrist in losing
last year's final to Pete Sampras.
He won the Australian Open after
winning at Kooyong in 2000 and 2001,
and he won at Kooyong again Saturday,
beating Sebastien Grosjean 6-2, 6-3 in
the final.
"This week I felt real good, a lot
better a lot sooner than I was even
hoping," said the 32-year-old Ameri-
can, oldest among the seeded men in
the Open.
Despite his early setback, Agassi fin-
ished last year ranked No. 2 behind
Lleyton Hewitt. His best Grand Slam
result was losing to Sampras in the U.S.
Open final.
A victory here would be Agassi's
eighth in Grand Slam tournaments, put-
ting him in a tie for sixth place with
Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Ken
Rosewall and Fred Perry.
Sampras, who leads the list with 14
Grand Slam titles, is skipping the Aus-
tralian Open.
Hewitt, meanwhile, is trying to
become the first Australian winner of
the country's major since Mark
Edmondson in 1976. Last year, weak-
ened by chicken pox, he lost in the
first round.
"I feel sort of fine with that pres-
sure, that expectation of sitting up
there and being the number 1 Aus-
tralian. I don't have too many prob-
lems with that," he said.
Last year's runner-up, Marat Safin,
seeded third, hurt his right shoulder in
Sydney but is expected to be in shape
for the Open
TONY DING/Daily
The Michigan track team is off to a good start after competing in the Jack Harvey
Invitational.
Tigers' Redman traded to struggling Marlins
MIAMI (AP) - Left-hander Mark
Redman joined the Florida Marlins from
the Detroit Tigers in a five-player trade
Saturday.
The Marlins sent right-hander Gary
Knotts and minor league left-handers Nate
Robertson and Rob Henkel to the Tigers for
Redman and minor league right-hander
Redman, entering his third full major
league season, went 8-15 with a 4.21
ERA in 30 starts for the Tigers last sea-
son. He didn't pitch after Sept. 11
because of fatigue in his arm but still
logged more than 200 innings.
He joins a rotation featuring young
right-handers A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett
to pitch 200 innings but still have it up
there in the high 80s and low 90s."
Beinfest said this week's sale of out-
fielder Kevin Millar to the Chunichi
Dragons of the Japanese league freed up
money to sign Redman. The Marlins, who
also signed catcher Mike Redmond to a
one-year contract Saturday, plan to go
the team with a .306 batting average last
season, but added outfielders Todd Hol-
landsworth and Gerald Williams this
week.
Knotts shuttled between the Marlins
and Triple A last season, going 3-1 with a
4.40 ERA in 28 major league appear-.
ances.
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