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The Battalion
SPORTS 9
Monday, October 9,1989
Sports Editor Tom Kehoe 845-2688
Photo by Frederick D.Joe
A&M’s Darren Lewis leaps over the line for to Texas Tech. Lewis tied his career record
some of his 85 yards in Saturday’s 27-24 loss with three rushing touchdowns in one game.
Oilers stopped by Patriots 23-13;
Flutie 11-0 in career Fox boro starts
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) —Wel
come back, John Stephens. Good
riddance, losing streak.
Stephens, sidelined the pre
vious two games, sparked New
England’s offense, and the de
fense defused the AFC’s highest-
scoring team as the Patriots beat
the Houston Oilers 23-13 Sun
day.
“You saw the difference out
there with John carrying the
ball,” New England quarterback
Doug Flutie said.
Stephens’ comeback, from an
ankle injury forced the defense to
pay attention to New England’s
running game, making it easier
for Flutie to throw and the Patri
ots to stop their three-game slide.
“The fact that we were running
the ball so well made it a little bit
easier on our offensive line” to
block on pass plays, said Flutie,
who was sacked just once.
“I didn’t feel there was any
thing their defense could do that
we weren’t prepared for,” said
Stephens, the AFC’s second lead
ing rusher as a rookie last year.
Greg Davis added three field
goals as the Patriots, who began
the game as the AFC’s lowest-
scoring team, matched their point
total for their previous three
games.
“There was a sense of ur
gency,” Flutie said. “We wanted
to win badly, and if you want it
badly enough, you can do it.”
Flutie improved his record to
11-0 at Sullivan Stadium, winning
six games with the Patriots and
five with Boston College.
Stephens gained 59 yards in 21
carries and played key roles in
New England’s first three scoring
drives. Then he ran for an 11-
yard touchdown that made the
score 20-3 with 5:58 left in the
third quarter.
Both teams are 2-3 after the
Patriots broke a three-game los
ing streak and the Oilers lost two
fumbles on kick returns that set
up touchdowns.
“You can’t win if you can’t
make basic plays,” Houston coach
Jerry Glanville said.
The Oilers, who averaged 38
points in their previous three
games, got field goals by Tony
Zendejas of 46 yards on the final
play of the first half, making the
score 10-3, and 22 yards early in
the fourth quarter. Warren Moon
threw a 20-yard scoring pass to
Drew Hill, cutting the lead to 23-
13 with 5:11 left.
“We got a lot of sacks, a lot of
interceptions,” Patriots coach
Raymond Berry said. “It seemed
like our defense was stopping
them on the ground pretty well.”
Moon was sacked three times
and intercepted twice one week
after completing a career high
82.6 percent of his passes in a 39-
7 win over Miami. He completed
14 of 29 passes for 227 yards
against the Patriots
“This is not the Houston Oilers
that we were,” Glanville said. “I
give full credit to New England.
They outplayed us, they out-
coached us, they outeverythinged
us.”
The Patriots got a first-hall
touchdown for the first time in
four games. Marvin Allen’s 1 -
yard run with 1:08 left in the first
quarter made the score 10-0. It
was set up by Stephens’ 7-yard
run for a first down at the Hous
ton 1-yard line.
“I felt good at halftime because
we hadn’t done much but we
were still in the game,” Glanville
said. “Then they came out and
scored on their first possession of
the second half.”
Davis kicked field goals of 30
yards in the first quarter and 34
yards in the third quarter, making
the score 13-3. He added a 43-
yarder with 6:49 left in the game.
The first field goal came after
Stephens ran for two first downs
and the second followed a power
ful block by Stephens on Robert
Lyles that sprung Flutie for a 22-
yard gain to the Houston 19.
The Oilers entered the game
with the NFL’s second best run
defense but gave up 144 yards,
New Eingland’s second best rush
ing total of the season.
Houston also was the NFL
leader in time of possession with
35 minutes, 41 seconds per game,
but held the ball just 24:49 Sun
day.
“We knew we had to control
the ball,” Stephens said. “We
knew Warren Moon is a great
quarterback, and they have a full
stable of running backs. We knew
we had to keep making first
downs and not think about touch
downs because first downs equal
touchdowns.”
Stephens scored one play after
Vincent Brown recovered punt
returner Kenny Johnson’s fum
ble. Allen’s first pro touchdown
came six plays after he recovered
Leonard Harris’ fumble on the
kickoff following Davis’ first field
goal.
Tech’s Price is right
Red Raiders upset No. 19 Aggies 27-24
as receiver hauls in last-minute TD pass
two more touchdowns, tying his ca
reer-high touchdowns in a game at
With ten minutes left in the game,
Tech appeared to be on the down
ward slide.
After a bench-clearing brawl, in
which an unidentified Aggie was
thrown out of the game, Tech began
to battle back.
Gill threw a 23-yard touchdown
pass to Price with just over five min
utes to goin the game. Tech tried a
two-point conversion but was unsuc
cessful. A&M still led 24-20.
after
proceeded to knock
The Aggies took possession
the kickoff and proceeded to k
fourth-and-two play and marched to
A&M’s 17 yard-line.
The Aggie defense stiffened and
outside linebacker William Thomas
sacked Gill, knocking the ball loose
and giving the Aggies an apparent
fumble recovery.
The officials, though, ruled Gill
down and Tech retained possession.
“That was the play that hurt us
right there,” A&M’s Defensive Coor
dinator Bob Davie said. “I thought it
was an obvious fumble.”
But A&M bounced back and
sacked Gill again, setting up a third-
and-28 play.
Photo by Phelan M. Ebenhack
A&M inside linebacker Trent Lewis walks away after level
ing Tech quarterback Jamie Gill. Lewis had 10 tackles in his
first career start. Gill later was knocked out of the game for
one play after a hard hit by linebacker Anthony Williams.
LUBBOCK — Better late than
never?
Not for Texas A&M, who was un
able to line, up in time for Texas
Tech’s last-minute desperation pass
into the endzone to beat the No. 19-
ranked Aggies 27-24 on Saturday.
While the A&M defense hurried
back onto the field after a Tech
timeout in the fourth quarter, Red
Raider quarterback Jamie Gill hit
wide receiver Travis Price on a 35-
yard pass for the go-ahead touch
down.
“We got out there late and the re
ceiver ran a streak (pattern),” said
A&M defensive back Derrick
Richey. “For some reason it seemed
like they put the ball in play quicker
than normal.”
The reason it seemed like Tech
got the play off quicker is that they
snapped the ball when they realized
A&M was caught unprepared.
“We were yelling from the side
line to snap it,” Tech defensive line
man Charles Perry said. “We really
caught them off-guard.”
“I knew we were in a little trouble,
but we had the safties back there,”
Richey said.
However, A&M free safety Larry
Horton didn’t make it on time.
“Normally (the officials) allow you
time to line up before they start the
play after a timeout,” A&M coach
R.C. Slocum said. “But it didn’t hap
pen on that play.”
However, Slocum said the loss
shouldn’t be blamed on poor offi
ciating.
“Give Tech credit for making the
play,” Slocum said. “It looked like a
good throw and catch to me.”
Tech Coach Spike Dykes didn’t let
the time out controversy or a ques
tionable call on a fourth-quarter
fumble tarnish the win.
“Thank goodness we executed
that play,” Dykes said. “I’m not
going to get into any arguments
(aibouf the questionable calls). I really
don’t know what happened.
“When they (the officials) start the
ball, it’s your responsibility to be out
there.”
Slocum said the Aggies simply let
the game slip away.
“We had our chances to win the
game and didn’t execute well
enough on offense or defense,” Slo
cum said. “We should have won and
let it get away from us.”
The Aggies led the whole game,
but it was the persistence of the Red
Raiders that kept them close
throughout.
A&M couldn’t pul the game away.
A&M scored first on a six-and-a-
half minute drive, capped by a one-
yard run by Darren Lewis.
Tech quarterback Gill was quick to
respond with his own one-yard leap
that tie the game 7-7.
After a Layne Talbot field goal,
the Aggies went in at halftime up 10-
7.
In the third quarter, Lewis scored
off almost half of the time remaining
in ihe game, but a seven-yard punt
by Sean Wilson put Tech in good
field position on its own 28 yard
line.
The Red Raiders then turned to
running back James Gray, who fin
ished the day with 70 yards on 23
carries. Tech converted on a critical
Tech called time out to set up
their next play and the entire Aggie
defense went to the sideline.
“We had them where we wanted
them, but they hit the big play on
us,” A&M inside linebacker Anthony
Wilson said. “They made the plays
when they needed to.”
Cowboys lose, fall to 0-5
Walsh plays well, but his efforts fall short during
31-13 victory by confident Green Bay
; Oakland gets pennant repeat
£ with 4-3 win over Blue Jays
ttert
n#*
W
TORONTO (AP) — The Oakland Athletics won
heir second straight American League pennant on
iunday, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 to win the
livisional playoffs in five games.
Dave Stewart outpitched Dave Stieb for the second
ime in the series as Oakland became the first team to
vin consecutive pennants since the New York Yankees
indLos Angeles each did it in 1977-78. This also ended
he longest streak in history without a repeat champion.
The Athletics, with the best record in baseball the last
''0 seasons, will open the World Series at home next
iaturday against San Francisco or Chicago.
Either way, Oakland wall not have to face a pitcher
hecaliber of Orel Hershiser, who stopped the Athletics
n five games last year. And maybe just as important,
hey have Rickey Henderson this time.
Henderson, who began his career with the Athletics,
f as traded back to his hometown by the Yankees on
une 20 for pitchers Greg Cadaret and Eric Plunk and
'Utfielder Luis Polonia. His return propelled Oakland
Hhe playoffs, then he made them his personal show-
aseas he was easily named Most Valuable Player.
Henderson stole the series, reaching base in 14 of 23
’■ate appearances and stealing a postseason series re-
°rd eight bases without being caught. Henderson, who
'em 6-for-15, hit two home runs, a triple, a double and
c ored eight times.
From the start on Sunday, Henderson kept Toronto
, 11 trouble. He drew a walk to start the game, stole sec-
l 'nd and scored on Jose Canseco’s single. In the third,
/ fter another leadoff walk, Henderson hit a triple that
tode it 2-0.
After that, the Blue Jays and their sellout crowd of
50,024 was mostly silent. No, Canada, the World Series
will not be played north of the border for the first time.
The Athletics, who won 10 more games than To
ronto this season, got their 14th pennant, including
nine while in Philadelphia. The victory also set up the
possibility of baseball’s first Subway Series since 1956
w'hen Brooklyn played the Yankees.
Stew'art, a 20-game winner for three straight seasons,
made the lead hold up. He scattered eight hits in eight
innings, allowing solo home runs to Lloyd Moseby in
the eighth and George Bell in the ninth. He walked
none and struck out four.
Dennis Eckersley, who saved all four Oakland play
off victories last season, earned his third of the series by
pitching the ninth, allowing one run and one hit.
As Eckersley warmed up, Toronto manager Cito
Gaston talked to home plate umpire Dave Phillips, who
then went to the mound and checked Eckersley’s glove.
Oakland manager Tony La Russa then expressed his
displeasure although no action was taken against the
pitcher.
Stieb allowed onlv four hits in six-plus innings. But
he hurt himself with four walks, and all three leadoff
walks wound up scoring.
While Oakland’s offensive stars did the job, the Blue
lavs’ big guns did not fire. Bell, who had 104 RBIs,
went 4-for-20 and Fred McGriff was 3-for-21. McGriff,
the league champion with 36 home runs, did not homer
after Sept. 4 and did not have an extra-base hit aiu-r
Sept. 13.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Don
Majkowski is in a position of power
with the NFL’s most prolific offense.
He can make it go, or he can make it
slow.
"If w'e’re executing, nobody has
stopped us, we’ve only stopped our
selves,” Majkowski said Sunday after
completing 21 of 32 passes for 313
yards and four touchdowns in a 31-
13 victory over the winless Dallas
Cowboys.
Majkowski, who threw nine inter
ceptions in his first four games, had
none against Dallas.
“We scored the points and moved
the ball,” he said. “We played consis-
tenly throughout the first four quar
ters. When I have protection, my
guys will be open and I’ll be able to
get them the ball. We feel very confi
dent in that fact.
“Every play we had called has a
chance to oe successful,” he said af
ter the Packers rolled up 501 yards,
their most in one game since 1985.
The biggest play came with 59 sec
onds left Tn the first half when
Majkowski connected with Sterling
Sharpe on a 79-yard touchdow n pass
that gave the Packers a 17-13 lead at
the half. It marked the first time all
season the comeback Packers have
not trailed at the half.
“Don threw a perfect ball and all I
had to do was catch it and take it in,”
said Sharpe, who outran two de
fenders for the touchdown.
“I hit him in stride and he did the
rest,” said Majkowski.
In the second half, Majkowski
threw his second touchdown of the
game to Herman Fontenot, a 38-
yarder with 40 seconds to go in the
third quarter. And then he hit Perry
Kemp with a 4-yarder with 2:33 re
maining in the game. The Packers’
3-2 start is their best through five
games since 1983.
"I don’t know if it was my best day
but I played smart and made some
things happen. It was a really solid
day,” said Majkowski.
“We didn’t make a w hole lot of big
plays last year, and this year we’re
breaking tackles and shaking loose,”
said Packers coach Lindy Infante.
“We’re improving.”
But the Cowboys aren’t. Dallas is
0-5 for its worst start since 0-10 in
1960.
Rookie Steve W alsh, in his first
NFL start, was 18 of 29 for 193 yards
with one interception and was
sacked three times.
“Our defense gave us enough op
portunities. It was 17-13 in the third
quarter and then things fell aprt. We
stopped playing together,” said
W’alsh.
“This is getting pretty old,” said
Cow boys coach Jimmy Johnson, still
looking for that elusive first NFL vic
tory.
Dallas used two big plays in the
first half to lead twice. Eugene Lock
hart picked up Majkowski’s fumble
and ran 40 yards for a touchdown
with 8:31 in the second quarter, giv
ing Dallas a 13-10 lead.
The Cowboys stunned the Packers
early when James Dixon returned
the opening kickoff 90 yards to the
Green Bay 6. That set up Walsh’s 5-
yard Touchdown pass to Michael Ir
vin just 58 seconds into the game,
but Green Bay’s Shawn Patterson
blocked the extra point.
Green Bay came right back only to
have a signaled touchdowm reversed
by instant replay. Jeff Query caught
a pass from Majkowski near the goal
line but was ruled down at the 1 af
ter the review.
The Packers then went backward
and had to settle for Chris Jacke’s
26-yard field goal that made it 6-3.
Query then recovered a fumble by
Dallas’ Darrvl Clack on the ensuing
kickoff at the Cow boys 13.