10A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, January 6, 2005
Quintet falters at World Juniors
By Ryan Sosin
Daily Sports Writer
Like college team, like national team.
The United States entry to the World
Junior Hockey Championships was
stocked with five Wolverine players, and
it met a stunningly similar tournament
exit to the Michigan hockey team's loss
last week in the final of the Great Lakes
Invitational.
The U.S. team, led by Michigan junior
Al Montoya, played very inconsistently.
A week after Michigan's holiday tour-
nament hopes were dashed by Michigan
State with a soft overtime goal on junior
backup goalie Noah Ruden, Montoya let a
soft shot slip between his pads in overtime
of Tuesday's Bronze Medal game. The
goal gave the Czech Republic a 3-2 win
and left the Americans without a medal.
Michigan sophomore T.J. Hensick was
almost nonexistent during the tourna-
ment. He and fellow sophomore Mike
Brown wound up on the team's fourth line
by the time the tournament ended.
"T.J. may have played really well,"
Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson
said. "But he didn't seem to play much or
play a big role."
Michigan freshman Kevin Porter had
the best tournament for the Wolverine del-
egation. Porter put up five points in seven
games including a goal - which was
assisted by Hensick and sophomore Matt
Hunwick - in the Bronze Medal game.
"I'm not surprised that they liked him
and they put him in a role of penalty kill-
ing, playing on the point during the power
play," Berenson said. "(He was) playing
with good players against the other team's
top line, and he did well."
While en route back to Ann Arbor after
the tournament - hosted in Grand Forks,
N.D. - the quintet fought the snowstorm
that terrorized the Midwest yesterday and
didn't make it back in time for practice
yesterday. Last season, all three of the
Wolverines that played in the tournament
- Montoya, Hunwick and junior Jeff
Tambellini - returned to the lineup for
the weekend series following the break.
"They should practice Thursday with
the team," Berenson said. "And (then)
we'll evaluate who, if any or all, should
play on Friday."
Berenson said that he expects the play-
ers all to be ready to play this weekend
against Western Michigan before resting
them the following week.
"I think a couple of them will be really
excited to get back," Berenson said. "And
a couple will still be feeling the ill effects
and fatigue of that tournament."
Despite the struggles of Montoya and
the limited impact from Hensick, Beren-
son sees the tournament as a bonus expe-
rience - one that will have primarily
positive long-term effect on his players'
careers.
"We are going to take that all with a
grain of salt," Berenson said. "We know
what they can do when they are playing
well, and we know what they can do to
help our team."
"
Michigan goalie Al Montoya struggled while playing for the United States in the World Junior Hockey Championships.
Tobias closes in
on M' pin record
0 MENS TRACK & FIELD
Kaiser brings in team attitude
By Ian Robinson
Daily Sports Writer
By Mark Giannotto
Daily Sports Writer
For a wrestler, winning a match by
pinfall is the ultimate goal. In a dual
meet, a pin gets the team six points. In a
tournament, a pin shows complete dom-
inance over the opposing wrestler. Even
though a pin - when the wrestler's
shoulders are flat on the mat for at least
two seconds - is particularly difficult
to get, senior Jeremiah Tobias is on the
verge of breaking the Michigan all-time
falls record.
With 51 pins for his career, Tobias is
five pins shy of breaking Jeff Catrabone's
record set in 1998. More than half of Tobi-
as's wins have come by pinfall.
"When I go out on the mat, all I think
about is pinning (the other wrestler),"
Tobias said. "I don't just want to beat the
guy, I want to pin him."
This aggressive style has served Tobias
well this season. He captured the 149-
pound weight class title at the Michigan
State Open and finished third at the East-
ern Michigan Open.
"I don't really go out onto the mat
thinking about the record," Tobias said.
"But afterwards, it is always in the back of
my head. I want the record, but it doesn't
affect how I wrestle."
Despite his penchant for pinning, Tobi-
as has been unable to crack the Michigan
starting lineup. This season Tobias has
been in and out of the lineup depending
on the importance of the match. He has
been behind redshirt freshman Eric Tan-
nenbaum, who is currently ranked No. 7
in the 149-pound weight class by Intermat
and Amateur Wrestling News.
Usually, a wrestler has plenty of time
to prepare for his upcoming matches. In
Tobias's case, he may not find out whether
he is going to wrestle until minutes before
the match.
"Last year, I only wrestled four varsity
matches, so I never really knew if I was
going to wrestle," Tobias said. "I'm just
always prepared to wrestle no matter what."
Even though many of his matches end
by pinfall, Tobias says there is no explana-
tion for why he does it so often.
"It's just natural," Tobias said. "I just
have a feel on top for when to go for the
pin. It's all about feeling comfortable. I
usually use simple moves like a wing or
a half nelson and try to pound the living
crap out of somebody. I did that in high
school, and I do it now. And it seems to
work."
Although he has not been wrestling on
a consistent basis, Tobias believes he will
get the record this season.
There is a different feeling around
the indoor track building this year.
Assistant coach David Kaiser - in
his first year with Michigan as the
field coach - stresses the idea of
track and field being a team sport.
Kaiser is a proven winner, having
coached many All-Americans and
conference champions while work-
ing at many schools, including Pur-
due, DePaul and Kansas.
Although individual accolades are
great for the team, Kaiser's goal is to
coach his team to a Big Ten champi-
onship. He attempts to instill a team
attitude in a sport where results are
dependent on individual events.
"We must unite 45 individuals into
a team that are all doing something
different," Kaiser said. "Our chal-
lenge is to get everybody to under-
stand their roles."
The team is divided into distance
runners, sprinters and field athletes.
And this division makes it difficult
to achieve a team identity.
"An individual winning their
event does not mean the team will
win," sophomore triple-jumper Mike
Whitehead said. "An individual can-
not win the title. You must do it as
a team."
For the field athletes, realizing
this team identity proves more dif-
ficult because of the diversity of
events. Kaiser builds team unity by
training the jumpers, throwers and
pole-vaulters together.
"When you sweat together, bleed
together and hurt together, it brings your
group closer together," Kaiser said.
Even though the season has not
started yet, the athletes notice a dif-
ference between this year's and last
year's squad.
"Last year, we had team unity
issues on the team, but the lines that
separated us are beginning to melt,"
Whitehead said. "It doesn't matter
what event you are competing in,
you need the support and admiration
of your teammates."
Kaiser wouldn't specify about
the specific issues, but said, if the
team wants to accomplish its goal
of winning a Big Ten championship,
it must not rely on just a handful of
athletes.
"You are not going to win a con-
ference championship with two or
three superstars." Kaiser said. "We
need the rest of our team to attain
that championship level to comple-
ment the superstars."
The Wolverines hope to improve
upon last year's sixth-place finish at
the Big Ten tournament. The athletes
see the application of Kaiser's coach-
ing method as a step towards improv-
ing their place in the Big Ten.
"The addition of Kaiser to the
program has had a positive effect on
the team," Whitehead said. "I expect
big things this year."
The hope is that the impact of Kai-
ser's efforts to create a team feeling
on the team will be apparent when
the team participates in the season
opening meet. The Wolverines host
the Jack Harvey Invitational on Sat-
urday at the Indoor Track Building.
TONY DING/Daily
Senior Jeremiah Tobias is just five pins
away from breaking the pin record.
"It would be cool to break the record at
a home match here in Ann Arbor, but it
doesn't matter as long as it gets (broken),"
Tobias said.
The next opportunity for Tobias to
move closer to the pinfall record comes
this weekend in the Lone Star Duals when
Michigan faces No. 4 Nebraska, No. 23
Army and unranked Stanford in dual
meet action.
Geiger retires from Ohio State,
I
-------------- -
REC
SPORTS
INTRAMi)RALS
The University of Michigan
Department of Recreational Sports
Intramural Sports Program
www.recsports.u miCh.edu
734-763-3562
REC
SPORTS
ISTR AMURA L
COLUMBUS (AP) - Andy Geiger is stepping down as
athletic director at Ohio State, citing burnout after almost two
years of NCAA investigations into the school's football and
basketball programs.
Geiger, whose 11-year tenure included some of the Buck-
eyes' greatest victories and biggest embarrassments, said he'll
leave the post June 30. He denied being forced out due to a
series of investigations and public stumbles.
"I can't help perceptions," Geiger said at a news confer-
ence yesterday. "We talk a lot about reality and perception.
I'm a reality guy. I can't help what other people's percep-
tions are."
From the time Maurice Clarett led the Buckeyes to a foot-
ball national championship in 2002, the school's athletic
department has been beset by NCAA investigations.
"I find my work is no longer fun and I no longer look
forward with enthusiasm to each day," Geiger said. "I'm
just tired. Just bone-weary. Not the tired that a good night
of sleep fixes. 'Burnout,' I guess, is what they call it in the
industry."
Geiger, 65, got choked up at one point and took several
moments to compose himself. He said the stress of running
one of the largest athletic departments in the country led to
his decision to leave.
University president Karen Holbrook said Geiger will stay
at the school until June 2006 as a fund-raiser and consultant.
Geiger, who held the post since 1994, has 17 months left on
his contract.
After leading Ohio State to the national title as a fresh-
man, Clarett was suspended for lying to investigators during
an NCAA probe of allegations that he received improper ben-
efits from a family friend.
Last month, the school imposed a one-year postseason
tournament ban on its men's basketball team over an alleged
$6,000 payment to a recruit by former coach Jim O'Brien.
Holbrook said the firing of O'Brien on June 8 was the first
step in appeasing NCAA investigators. She and Geiger said
more penalties may be coming.
In football, quarterback Troy Smith was suspended for the
Alamo Bowl for accepting benefits from a booster.
Clarett has accused football coach Jim Tressel of set-
ting him up with cars, said boosters provided him with
no-show jobs and that Ohio State professors gave breaks
to football players.
A search of court records by The Associated Press revealed
at least 14 arrests involving 14 football players in the period
following Tressel's hiring in January 2001 and May 2004.
Others, such as Smith and running back Lydell Ross, were
suspended for at least one game following other disciplinary
problems.
Entries taken:
Mon, 01/10 ONLY
1100 AM - 5:30PM
IM Building
Entry Fee:
$88.00 per team
Manager's Meeting:
MANDATORY
Wed, 01/12
6:00 PM or 9:00 PM
IM Building
Play begins:
Thurs, 01/13
IM Building & Coliseum
Basketball
Entries taken:-
Mon, 01/10 ONLY
11:00AM M5:30 PM
1M Building
Entry Fee:
$8800per team
Managers Meeting:
MANDATORY
Wed, 01/012
8:i00 PM
Iii Building
Pay begns:.
Sun, 01/16
Coliseum
Fild Hock Indoor
a:
Entries taken:
Thurs, 01/06 ONLY
9:00 AM -4:30 PM
IM Building
Entry Fee:
$440.00 per team
Manager's Meeting:
MANDATORY
Thurs, 01/06
6:00 PM
IM Building
Play begins:
Sun, 01/09
Yost Ice Arena
HAWKEYES
Continued from page 8A
with 1.6 seconds remaining and had a
chance to tie the score.
Pierce's first attempt hit the front
end of the rim, and after another miss,
the game was over.
Michigan was just 2-6 on the road
last season in the Big Ten, winning
against bottom-feeders Penn State and
Northwestern.
"I told them in the lockerroom not
many people are going to come in this
place and win," Michigan coach Tommy
Amaker said. "Certainly I'm sure the
weather played a role in not having a
normal crowd, and this is the time of
year that the students aren't here."
Although it's early, with the road
win, Michigan jettisoned back onto
the national radar for NCAA Tourna-
ment contention.
"That's a big-time win for a confer-
ence opener," forward Brent Petway
said. "We start 1-0 on the road. Last
year people said we weren't a good
road team. Our record showed that. So
now, to come out and win our open-
ing road game against a ranked team
- that's big. That's going to help us
out a lot."
Despite a 44-30 halftime lead,
Michigan allowed the Hawkeyes to
cut the lead to one, 48-47, with 11:42
remaining in the game. The Wolver-
ines did not tally an assist the entire
second half after having 12 in the first,
but were able to counter Iowa's con-
tinual second-half charges.
"In the last 10 minutes of the game,
(they) made their free throws and we
didn't," Iowa coach Steve Alford said.
Petway played one of his most com-
plete games as a Wolverine, scoring
14 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grab-
bing seven rebounds. The forward
logged additional minutes after junior
Chris Hunter left the game in the first
half with a right ankle sprain, and his
status is uncertain. Hunter's absence
opened the door for Iowa's second-
half fight, as Iowa continually battled
back with strong interior play.
Ice Hockey
Entries taken:
Mon, 01/10 ONLY
11:00 AM- 5:30 PM
IM Building
Enry Fee:
$88,00 per team
Manager's Meeting:
MANDATORY
Wed, 01/12
7:15PM
Pay begins:
IM Building
Inner Tube Water Polo
HOW THE AP TOP 25 FARED
Associated Press Poll for the week of Dec. 7-13
Games updated through Jan. 4
FINAL AP TOP 25
(first-place votes in parentheses)
TEAM
Team:
1. Southern Cal
2. Oklahoma
3. Auburn
4. California
5. Utah
6. Texas
7. Louisville
8. Georgia
9. Virginia Tech
10. Boise State
11. Iowa
This week:
beat Oklahoma 55-19
lost to Southern Cal 55-19
beat Virginia Tech 16-13
lost to Texas Tech 45-31
beat Pittsburgh 35-7
beat Michigan 38-37
beat Boise State 44-40
beat Wisconsin 24-21
lost to Auburn 16-13
beat Louisville 44-40
beat Louisiana State 30-25
1. Southern Cal (62)
2. Auburn (3)
3. Oklahoma
4. Utah
5. Texas
6. Louisville
7. Georgia
8. Iowa
9. California
10. Virginia Tech
11. Miami
12. Boise State
13. Tennessee
14. Michigan
REC
13-0
13-0
12-1
12-0
11-1
11-1
10-2
10-2
10-2
10-3
9-3
11-1
10-3
9-3
PTS
1,622
1,559
1,454
1,438
1,391
1,261
1,204
1,111
1,060
996
917
888
868
842
Pvs
1
3
2
5
6
7
,8
11
4
9
14
10
15
13
1
I