argonaut.online.sports

university of idaho argonaut ://301 student union. moscow, id 83843 ://885.7845 ://argonaut@uidaho.edu
sports editor ://rolfe peterson

|august.28.01

sports1.Kick off the School Year The opener for the Vandal gridiron is here again and the expectations are high for a hard fought classic to come our way. Playing collegiate next door neighbor, Washington State, the challenge is to prove that Vandal football is on the way up and will be a contender for a conference crown. "I think it will be a good football game," said UI Coach Tom Cable. "First game of the year, it will be a issue of turnovers and mistakes." Washington is no push over, however. Despite having a poor showing last season in the Pac-10 conference, WSU has the talent to make victory for the Vandals a difficult task. The Cougars have 21 starters returning to the line-up off last year's squad including junior quarterback Jason Gesser who passed for nearly 2000 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Joining Gesser as an offensive threat is running back Dave Minnich who, despite not having great breakaway speed, will be a factor pounding into the middle of the Vandal defensive line. Minnich and Gesser are supported by a deep and experienced offensive line that simply put, is a team of oxen. All are either returning starters or important-returnees to the program. With tough competition for a starting position, this athletic group should give the Vandal D-line a rough day. Gesser lost two of his biggest targets from last season; Milton Wynn and Marcus Williams, who now reside in the NFL. But that does not completely deplete the threat at the position, look to basketball standout Mike Bush to make his presence known, along with Collin Henderson and Nakoa McElrath. The defensive unit is not as prolific as the Cougar offense, but can and will cause problems against Welsh and Co. Veteran talent in the secondary is the obvious bright spot in an otherwise inexperienced defense. Billy Newman, safety, is the leader and makes too many tackles for his position, leading WSU last season with 100 stops. But experience at the corners with Lamont Thompson, Erik Coleman and Jason David will help taking some pressure off Newman. The front seven for the Cougars is a very talented group, but the question isÑcan they improve on last yearÕs downfalls? Raonall Smith, James Price and Melvin Simmons return with experience that can carry them through the year. The defensive line is bigger and stronger than last season and has the physical ability to be one of the highest ranking in their conference, but improvement is the key. With near 300-pounders Rien Long and Tai Tupai, the defense can benefit from their experience and size working together. After dropping two games straight to the Vandals in dramatic fashion, Coach Mike Price and the Cougars are looking forward to a little revenge and many other successes this year. "WeÕre not a Pac-10 team," said Cable, "No one expects us to win, but we think we can and if we can go out and execute and take care of ourselves, who knows, maybe we can go out and do it again."

sports2.The Glorious Golf Course The University of Idaho golf team returns to action this fall and will be treated to a home course that is actually in pretty good shape. The University of Idaho Golf Course has seen some tough years with dead grass and murky water in the ponds, but this fall should be different. The summer was good to the course, which is greener than ever, with clear ponds and greens rolling true. Just in time for the big junior PNGA tournament in mid-August, the greens were rolling right around a 10 on the Stimpmeter, which is fast. There were several places on the course where the ball would not stop rolling once it got started; making for a challenging and more interesting round. The sixth hole on the course is a great example of a time when placing your approach shot in a safe place is critical. If the pin is on the front right portion of the green, and your ball is behind the pin, get ready for a walk back down the hill. It is very hard to stop a ball going down that green, and many of them roll right off the edge and back down the fairway. The fairways are also in nice shape, and there weren't as many un-replaced divots as there have been in the past. Tee shots are actually getting some roll, and there are usually nice, tight lies to hit an approach shot off. Tee boxes are still in need of some work; the grass there is usually taller than it is in the fairway, making it difficult to hit consistently. The rough is not a fun place to be, as it is grown out enough to make any golfer do anything he could to keep it in the fairway. That is, however, exactly what rough is supposed to be like. Add in the strong wind that the Palouse gets, and the University of Idaho golf course turns into a challenging and fun experience. Playing at 6637 yards from the back tees, 6154 yards from the middle tees, and 5770 from the front tees, this course offers a variety of challenges for golfers of any ability. Anyone interested in playing a good solid course should check out the UI before it snows. It's in its best shape in years.

sports3.UI Soccer Team Heats up! The University of Idaho soccer team has practiced intensely for the past two weeks to prepare for a successful campaign in the Big West Conference and possibly a conference title. "We are really pleased," said head coach Larry Foster. "Things are going really well." The program's presence in the Big West Conference has grown by leaps and bounds. Since the team's inception four years ago, the Vandals have worked their way from the bottom to the upper ranks of the Big West Conference. UI finished third last season, posting an impressive 11-6-2 record, a far cry from their last place finish three seasons ago. Through hard work and a focus on constant improvement, the squad has laid the foundation for success. With only three players departing from last season's line-up, the Vandals return a solid base of talent, including two all-conference selections. "We are really pleased with the returning players coming back ready to go," said Foster. "No one came back unfocused or unprepared to play." Megan Cummings was named to the All-Big West first team after leading the conference with 10 assists. The senior mid-fielder also knocked in four goals on the campaign. Emily Nelson was also named to the all-conference following an excellent freshman year, in which the mid-fielder netted nine goals. Nelson led the Vandals in points, finishing the year as one of only three players in the conference to average more than a point a game. Adding to the returning talent, UI fielded a strong recruiting class. The newcomers strengthen the squad in each area of the game, giving the Vandals a lift in defending and attacking, Foster said. "The group of new players have lived up to our expectations. I'm pleased how everyone is working together." The mix of talent has intensified the preseason practices, opening up heated competition for playing time on the field. "It's still wide open, everything is in pencil," said Foster. "Everybody is working hard and pushing everyone else." UI gets the opportunity to test the new line on Aug. 31 at the Diadora Classic in Boise. The Vandals take on Boise State the first day and then go up against Weber State.

university of idaho argonaut ://301 student union. moscow, id 83843 ://885.7845 ://argonaut@uidaho.edu
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