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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1979)
Page 12 THE BATTALION MONDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1979 Fro football scene Pokes top Giants;Oilers lose United Press International IRVING, Texas — Drew Pearson, playing in his 100th consecutive game, caught three touchdown pas ses from Roger Staubach and went over 1,000 yards receiving for only the second time in his career Sunday in helping the Dallas Cowboys end a three-game losing streak with a 28-7 win over the New York Giants. The victory ensured the Cowboys would have a winning season for the 14th consecutive year and brought Dallas to within one victory of mak ing the playoffs. The game was stalemated after a lethargic first half at 7-7, but after a penalty wiped out what had been an otherwise perfect onside kickoff re covery by the Giants to start the third quarter, Dallas began to dominate. Pearson, who had caught a seven scoring throw early in the second quarter to tie the game, hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass at the end of the Cowboys’ first possession of the second half. When he caught the ball, Pearson leaped high in the air, threw the ball into the stands and sprained his ank le when he landed. Pearson returned to the game late in the third quarter and despite favoring his left leg, ran past Giants cornerback Ray Rhodes and caught a 44-yarder from Staubach for his third touchdown. Tony Dorsett, who became only the second player in NFL history to surpass 1,000 yards in his first three seasons, scored on a one-yard run with less than five minutes to play to end a 92-yard Cowboys drive. New York’s only touchdown came on the Giants’ first possession — an impressive 79-yard march that con sumed 10:16 and ended in a two- yard scoring run by Billy Taylor. New York’s only other major threat, coming at the start of the final quarter, resulted in a goal line stand by the Cowboys. Dallas defensive linemen David Stalls and Harvey Martin trapped New York quarter back Phil Simms for a six-yard loss when the Giants had fourth down at the Dallas two. Dallas boosted its record to 9-5, a game back of the NFC East-leading Philadelphia Eagles. The outcome set up a critical meeting between the Eagles and the Cowboys next Satur day in Philadelphia. The Giants fell to 6-8 with the setback. Pearson ran his season yardage total to 1,006 with his performance Sunday. His only other 1,000-yard season came in 1974 — the only year the Cowboys have missed the play offs in the last 13 years. Dorsett picked up 108 yards on 29 carries to boost his season total to 1,071. The only other player to pick up 1,000 in his first three NFL sea sons was John Brockington of Green Bay, who accomplished that feat in 1971-72-73. When the Cowboys and Giants met four weeks ago, it took 10 points by Dallas in the last 2Vz minutes to pull out a victory. Since then, the Cowboys had not won a game and had not come up with a turnover. The Cowboys en ded their 16-quarter turnover drought Sunday with three of them — two fumble recoveries and a pass interception — but none of those breaks led to points. The biggest break for Dallas was New York’s foulup of the onside kick to start the second half. The ball, kicked by Joe Danelo, caught Dallas by surprise and Danelo himself reco vered the ball 11 yards from the point it was kicked. , But the Giants’ Tom Mullady was detected offsides on the kickoff, wip ing out what would have been a key play for the Giants. In Cleveland, Cleveland Browns coach Sam Rutigliano told fullback Mike Pruitt that he owes all his offensive linemen a good steak dinner. Pruitt, who turned in perhaps the best clutch performance of his career Sunday, wasn’t about to complain af ter Cleveland’s critical 14-7 victory over the Houston Oilers. The four-year veteran from Pur due scored both of Cleveland’s touchdowns — one on a 42-yard pass from quarterback Brian Sipe and the other on a one-yard plunge. He clearly was the key to Cleveland s attack, rushing 25 times for 111 yards and catching four passes for 67 yards. The loss dropped the Oilers, now 10-4, out of a first-place tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Cen tral Division. The victory was neces sary for the Browns to remain in con tention for a wild-card playoff berth. Cleveland, 9-5, trails Pittsburgh by two games and Houston by one in the Central Division. “Give the offensive line credit,” said Pruitt, the second-leading rusher in the ACF behind Houston’s Earl Campbell. “Now I’ve got to buy them (the linemen) a steak dinner.” The Oilers thought Cleveland would come at them with finesse, but the Browns used a physical, ball- control offense to come up with the win on a bitterly cold and occasional ly snowy day at Municipal Stadium. In fact, Houston coach Bum Phil lips admitted he made an important mistake in preparing his club for the game. “We ignored their running game. We thought they would pass more,” he said, noting that the Browns’ fortunes this season have usually rested on the arm of Sipe. But Cleveland overall rushed for 198 yards on 40 carries while holding Campbell and Houston to 121 yards on 26 carries. In the early part of the contest, it appeared both teams would put on a high-scoring show despite the weather and muddy field. Pruitt hooked up with Sipe on a first- quarter pass-run play that was good for 42 yards and the first score of the game. Don Cockroft’s extra point made it 7-0 Cleveland. “I was blitzed and held back and then saw Mike drift behind the secondary. He needed only one man to elude for the touchdown,” Sipe explained. Houston struck back on the next series on the strength of two long runs by Campbell, who set up his own 11-yard touchdown dash with a 23-yard run late in the first quarter. Toni Fritsch’s extra point was good to deadlock the game at 7. “The foot ing wasn’t too bad,” Campbell com mented. The Browns used a double fullback formation most of the game with Pruitt and Cleo Miller, because veteran running back Calvin Hill was injured during the pre-game warmup. With the Pruitt-Miller backfield, the Browns dominated play, but the second and third quar ters were scoreless, as Cleveland missed several scoring opportuni ties. Cockroft was wide to the left on a 36-yard field goal try with 11:23 left in the first half and short and to the left on a 41-yard kick with 41 seconds remaining in the half. Houston’s Fritsch, meanwhile. had a 43-yard effort blocked by Cur tis Weathers with 8:27 left in the first half. The Browns took the second-half kickoff and, starting on their own 23, marched all the way to the Houston 4. But Houston cornerback Greg Stemrick intercepted a Sipe pass in the end zone and returned it up the sideline to the Oilers’ 49. The decisive score came early in the final quarter, on a brilliant 16- play, 80-yard drive engineered by Sipe. The quarterback fired an appa rent 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Reggie Rucker but was pen alized for throwing the ball just past the line of scrimmage. On the next play, he scrambled from the Houston 20 to the one-yard line, setting up Pruitt’s one-yard lunge across the goal line. Cockroft’s kick was good and the Browns led 14-7 with 13:20 left in the game. “The line play was the key to the victory,” concluded Sipe, who com pleted 13 of 26 passes for 172 yards. “This might be the most significant game by our defense all year long. ” The Browns’ defense did indeed rise to the occasion, holding Camp bell to 108 yards on 22 carries and Pastorini to 133 yards passing on 16 completions. “The defensive game plan was to try to keep Campbell inside and stop play-action passes to Ken Bur- rough,” said Browns free safety Thom Darden. Vol.73 ^ | Pages ^ TEV*S AIM -1 'a /Q*7<7 y / could HAve hslpbd' f BUT AT half T/HIF THEY Took AWAY MY WHISTLE/, (T Lombardi candidates picki But Cleveland’s defense had lots of help. In the third period, for ex ample, the Browns ran 26 plays to just four for the Oilers. Houston tried two desperation drives late in the game, but both ended in turnovers. Darden came up with a big interception of a Pas torini pass on the Cleveland five with 9:59 left in the contest, and with 41 seconds left Campbell fumbled. United Press International HOUSTON — Pittsburgh’s Hugh Green, an All-America defensive end as a sophomore last season, was one of four collegians named as final ists for the Lombardi Trophy. Three seniors, Texas defensive end Steve McMichael, USC guard Brad Budde and North Carolina State center Jim Ritcher, also re ceived enough votes from a 100- member selection committee to make the final four. The winner of the award, which annually goes to a top college line man, will be announced Jan. 17 after another vote of the con Lombardi spokesman said. Ritcher recently was an outstanding lineman wk won the Outland Trophy. Penn State defensive tac Clark won the LombardiTrt junior last season. rel^tuorv«>Vup. Hou^ Of Koee;? (free ) caXi 046-&42Z LOST A BOOK RIGHT BEFORE FINALS! Lou Will Loan You One ’til You Take Your Exam! And We’ll Buy The Used Ones You Do Have. LOU NEEDS YOUR USED BOOKS! SBLOUPOT'SOT NORTHGATE — At the Across from the Post AA 0 McDonald's DRIVE-THRU WINDOW MCDONALD’S INTRAMURAL HIGHLIGHTS McDonald's DRIVE-THRU SERVICE At University Drive At Manor East Mall / Women’s Soccer Basketball is Here #1 in Texas The Texas A&M Soccer team has had a great season; their record is 12 wins with only one loss and two ties. Basketball entries close tomor row, December 4. Don’t forget en tries are limited. However, if your class is filled, you can still turn in late entries up to the deadline. IM is trying its hardest to let everyone play. The team captain’s meeting is December 11 at 5:15 in Rudder Theatre. At the meeting a new free throw rule will be discussed and voted on. The Texas A&M womens soccer club team pictured here is (1 to r) standing; Alan Heath, Lucy Bourne, Jamie Fougeron, Terry Gerber, Carol Sullivan, Betsy Trenckman, Janet Hor ton, Chantel Fougeron, Rob Borgeson, Kneeling; Julia Bourne, Sandra McMasters, Becky Carpenter, Donna Ellerbe, Ceil Cottingham, Bonnie Zigmond, Adele Fairman. Sitting; Amy Sullivan, Lane Jacobs, Cindy Middleton, Cathy Rodgers, Not Pictured — Melanie Felger, Terry Blasdell, Stephanie Barrett, and Paul Barrett. The team was the returning champions, seeded number one, at the Austin Women’s Tournament. They came up champions in that tournament again this year, then went on to win the Texas State Women’s Collegiate Soccer tour nament one week later. Sweaty Socks? The most recent sweaty sock award was given to Sig Ep II for display of good sportsmanship while playing volleyball. Congrats Sig Eps and we hope you enjoy your socks! In their spring season the Women’s Soccer team will travel to Indiana and represent the state of Texas there. Last spring they took second place in this competition among eight other teams from around the nation. Did You See . . .? The BSU outscored Spence Sports 7-0 in women’s class B foot ball. BSU had two penetrations to Spence’s one and showed some fire running action to blockout Spence’s defense. Spence Sports players were /V\ ^McDonald's Donna Stick, Sandra Rentel, Amy Boyson, Suzanne Johnson, Debra Baron, Carrey Garner, Cyd John son, Janelle Graham, Celestine Gonzalez, Michelle Mapes, Cathy Thompson, and Linda Shultze. BSU players were Beverly Baum, Iris Tipton, Julie Quebe, Michelle Thompson, Polly Pierson, Debbie Richmond, Grace Holub, Jennifer Casler, and Kathy Currin. liams, Colleen Church, Lynn Ehrhardt, Cheryl Dyer, Beth Otahal, Robin Corbell, Ellaine Drerer, and Laura Graul. The Mosher Maggies in practice scrimmage at the Penberthy Com plex. Their next opponents should have been out scouting as their plays were looking good. Mosher Maggies include Michelle Warren, Mary Lou Cros slin, Mary Briant, Lisa Meyer, Connie Fletcher, Kathryn Wil- The M-2 Meds battled unsuc cessfully against Spam III in men’s class A flickerball. M-2 picked up 18 points to Spam’s 24. It was a valient game for 2 good teams. M-2 Meds’ personnel were Steve Harris, Greg Tatban, Doug Williams, Jay Whittock, Steve Warren, Jack Crumpst, Alvin Christopher, Todd Moore, Julius Valesquez, and Ken Williams. Spam III players were Alan Hohl- felder, Dale Komegie, Robert Pike, Mike Carroll, Richard Por ter, Bill Livingston, Billy Eller- brock, Keith Hutton, and Ardell Schaffer. CAUGHT IN THE AC TION this week is Susan Milton. Susan is the IM Payroll Clerk and works in the front office handling all the money from entry fees. Susan moved to TAMU from Dalis this August with her husband, Stan, who is a senior geology major. Susan attended Richland Junior College and worked as a manicurist doing sculp tured nails before moving here. She enjoys the IM office because of its “people contact” and thinks IM is a great opportunity for TAMU students. Susan plays CoRec Flag Football. Susan likes cats, disco dancing, and pizza. She loves to bake, especially chocolate chip cookies, and is an excellent roller skater. Susan also enjoys photo graphy. The “I Spy” photographer this week selects Jeff Fisher toh eligible for a Be Our Guest card for free food from McDf nalds. Jeff is pictured here checking with the scorekeeper in- recent Flickerball game. Ref's Corner The Intramural Office is cur rently offering the opportunity for all students interested in officiating basketball to begin training in our official’s clinic, which begins Tuesday, Decem ber 4. Officiating is one of the most important aspects of the Intra mural program here at Texas A&M and we encourage anyone who wants to become part of this program to attend the clinic. For more information regard ing officiating of intramural sports, call Dave Kerr in the IM office at 845-7826. is ai F UNITE unity, f 1c l capita fates Mo fl dehate Acknowledgments This ad is sponsored by your local McDonald Restaurai at University Drive and Manor East Mall. Stories Michelle Wolstein, Pictures by Gary Reyes. Though Ashing tl py, the i ■funt lar hel ran rr Barely auitieil c ra ditioru] ini d)