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The SportsMonday Column
THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR
Breyer's individual efforts helped spur
a Michigan upset of No. 4 Nebraska, en
route to a three Wolverine victories.
PAGE 6B
SPORTS D
January 10, 2005
1B
- - - - - - - - - - -
iJbE 1Nhrbtgan Dai~id
All-American Shazor to leave Wolverines for NFL draft
By Sharad Mattu
Daily Sports Editor
Senior Earnest Shazor - one of the nation's
top safeties - has decided to forgo his final sea-
son of eligibility and enter the NFL draft.
"It's just the best decision for me and my fam-
ily," Shazor said yesterday.
Shazor, who led the Wolverines with 84 tackles
- and also had 10 tackles for loss, two intercep-
tions and two forced fumbles - became a game-
changer this season with his combination of size
and speed. He returned an interception 88 yards
for a touchdown to clinch a win over Miami (OH)
in Michigan's season opener, helped
contain Minnesota's rushing attack with
12 tackles and four tackles for loss and
clinched Michigan's win over Purdue
with a forced fumble on the Boilermak-
ers' final drive.
Shazor, who was told by NFL scouts
that he could be picked as early as the first
round, cited the opportunity to provide Shazor
for his family and the fact that he would
have a tough time topping this year's performance
as the major reasons for his decision.
When Shazor joined Michigan in 2001, he had
a tough time adjusting to college foot-
ball and living up to his billing as one
of the nation's top safeties.
But few players have made as much
progress as Shazor did in his four years
with the Wolverines. During his time in
Ann Arbor, Shazor went from redshirt-
ing, to playing special teams, to start-
ing, to being an All-American.
Shazor was a finalist this year for the
Jim Thorpe Award given to the country's best
defensive back.
With his departure, the Wolverines will be
without two All-American defensive backs next
season. In addition to Shazor, Michigan will lose
senior cornerback Marlin Jackson. The defense,
which struggled mightily in the season's final
four games, also loses linebacker Roy Manning.
Defensive lineman Larry Harrison, who was
recently arrested on charges of indecent expo-
sure, remains out indefinitely heading into the
off-season.
With Shazor gone, possible replacements
at safety include Jamar Adams, who will be a
sophomore, and possibly Prescott Burgess, who
has played linebacker his two years in Ann Arbor
but was among the nation's top safeties in high
school.
Michigan, which finished this past season 9-3, is
considered by many analysts to be a big-time con-
tender for next season's national championship. But
all of the record-high four Wolverines who made
the Associated Press All-American first-team -
Shazor, Jackson, senior receiver Braylon Edwards
and senior center David Baas - will be leaving.
"I thought about coming back, but the team is
going to be great with or without me," Shazor said.
"In the end I had to do what was best for me."
Western shootout
Michigan 6, West ern Michigan
5
MICHIGAN 6, WESERN MICHCAN 4
Last-minute goal
*gives
'M
By Ian Herbert
Daily Sports Writer
"That's a tough way to lose a game."
- Vince Bellissimo, Western Michigan
forward
KALAMAZOO - At one point in
the second period of Saturday night's
game, the Michigan hockey team was
up 5-2 and seemed to have the game
under wraps. But three straight goals by
Western Michigan tied the two teams
at five and brought the thunder-stick-
laden, sell-out crowd to a new level
*of excitement. Both the players and
the fans were anticipating the second
comeback win against Michigan in the
last three years.
But with 53 seconds left in the game
and the score still tied, Michigan junior
Brandon Kaleniecki quieted the crowd.
On a power play, sophomore T.J. Hen-
sick controlled the puck and skated
around the zone. When he got to the
high slot, he dumped a pass into senior
forward Milan Gajic at the bottom of
the left circle. Gajic's shot attempt was
stuffed by Broncos goalie Daniel Bel-
lissimo, but the rebound slid behind
Bellissimo to a. waiting Kaleniecki,
who slapped the puck home. The goal
gave Michigan a 6-5 win and a series,
sweep of Western Michigan, following
Friday's 6-4 win.
"I was actually just swinging my
stick," Kaleniecki said of the game-
a sweep
winning goal. "I kind of was on the out-
side of the net."
But the "tough way to lose" that
junior Vince Bellissimo, the older of the
Bellissimo brothers, was referencing
was not the goal scored with less than
a minute to play. It was the call by the
officials to set up the goal that angered
the Broncos. With the game tied and
only minutes left to play, the referee,
Mark Wilkins, called an obstruction-
tripping penalty on Western Michigan
senior defenseman Mat Ponto. Western
Michigan coach Jim Culhane had no
comment about the officiating, saying
only that he couldn't have been prouder
of his team.
Kaleniecki's game-winner was the
final third of a hat trick for the junior. He
also scored two goals in a three-minute
stretch in the second period - during
which Michigan tallied four goals and
took a 5-2 lead.
Kaleniecki started the scoring burst
with a slap shot from the top of the right
circle halfway through the period, tak-
ing a pass from senior David Moss and
one-timing it passed Bellissimo. Forty
seconds later, Al Montoya defended
a 3-on-I with a great save. After the
long rebound, defenseman Eric Wer-
ner dished the puck up the ice to Jeff
Tambellini. Tambellini brought it into
the zone and sent a pass across the goal
to freshman Chad Kolarik, who tipped
See BRONCOS, page 4B
WORLD BEATERS
Michigan sent five players to skate for the United States at the World Junior
Championship over winter break. Here's a look at how the representatives fared
against Western Michigan during their first full weekend back with the team.
Mike Brown - 1 assist, 6 penalty minutes, I shot, +2 rating
T.J. Hensick - 2 goals, 2 assists, 7 shots, +1 rating
Matt Hunwick - 3 assists, 8 penalty minutes, 3 shots, +4 rating
Al Montoya - 2-0-0 record, 63 saves, 9 goals allowed
Kevin Porter - 3 shots, 4 blocked shotsy
JEFF LEHNERT/Daily
Michigan junior Brandon Kalenieki (14) netted a hat trick for the Wolverines on Saturday, including the game-winning goal with 53 seconds left to play.
Reunited icers sparked by individual efforts
By Gabe Edelson
Daily Sports Writer
KALAMAZOO - During the Michigan hockey
team's first series together in four weeks, it was indi-
vidual players' performances that stood out.
The hero on Saturday night was forward Bran-
don Kaleniecki, who compiled his second career hat
trick in Michigan's 6-5 win over Western Michigan
at Lawson Ice Arena. The junior's third goal of the
night - which came on a power play with just 53
seconds left in the third period - proved to be the
game winner. But Michigan coach Red Berenson
didn't underestimate any of Kaleniecki's lamp-light- ning score, Kaleniecki ignited a four-goal Michigan
ers in their importance. explosion during a stretch of less than three minutes
- "Those are huge goals," Berenson said of the hat in the middle of the second period. At the 11:13 mark,
trick. the junior took a pass from senior David Moss and
The game-deciding tally came with Michigan at a one-timed the puck into the top right corner of the
one-man advantage. Senior Milan Gajic's shot from Broncos' net. After a Chad Kolarik goal just 42 sec-
the left circle and the rebound bounced to the right onds later, Kaleniecki beat Western Michigan goalie
side of the net. Kaleniecki swung at the puck and Daniel Bellissimo five-hole on another pass from
knocked it in for the game's final goal. Moss.
"I just saw the puck coming across and I took a Kaleniecki has been heating up as of late. After
whack at it and it got in there," Kaleniecki said. "It scoring just one goal in the first 11 games of the sea-
felt great." son, But Kaleniecki wasn't the only Wolverine to put
Aside from the obvious impact of the game-win- See INDIVIDUALS, page 4B
Harris, Coleman lead
Blue in win over Fairfield
WOMEWS BASKETBALL
Late run not enough to
overcome scoring woes
By Josh Holman
Daily Sports Writer
After a key road win at Iowa on Wednes-
day, Saturday's men's
basketball game against
Fairfield at Crisler Arena '
didn't seem to have much
of a billing. It was Michigan's last scheduled
nonconference game, sandwiched between
the Big Ten openers on the road and at home.
But there was no sign of an emotional let-
*down for the Michigan team in Saturday's win
--+U-~ ~ ~ Q+ ,- !2... 1. Rd A 0 41 - h n
by the presence of Horton, who played in his sec-
ond game since returning from a knee injury.
"Now that Daniel's back, I think I can go
back to just going out there and playing and
not worry about everything I have to do,"
Harris said. "I have another backcourt mate in
Daniel to help me."
Horton scored nine points and handed out
four assists, but he admits that he is not at full
speed yet and played just 17 minutes.
"I still feel like I'm a couple steps
behind," Horton said. "It's just a process.
It's going to be like this. My knee is going
t a e - - - on"- ra x c ad :T tict 4. t
By Jack Herman
Daily Sports Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE - With 7:34
left in yesterday'su
women's basket-' °A'_
ball game between
Michigan and No.
24 Purdue, the Wolverines were down
45-40 and looking to cut the lead.
Instead, Michigan freshman Jessica
Starling threw an errant pass that was
stolen by Boilermaker Emily Heike.
After Heieiss n edt i teammate ind-
and then make a turnover," Michigan
coach Cheryl Burnett said. "Against
a good basketball team, you can't do
that."
Before Michigan's offensive strug-
gles, it looked like the team was poised
to mount a comeback against Purdue.
The Wolverines fell behind by 12 points
midway through the second half, but
then began to fight back, led by freshmen
Ta'Shia Walker and Krista Clement.
After both scored lay-ups to get
Michigan within eight, Clement fed the
hall down low to WaIker who made the
A wAM