Monday,jJ
Monday, July 24,2000
Sports
Page 3
THE BATTALION
Aggies compete at
U.S. Olympic Trials
# Bfc
■ 1
W:
Wk
M
during the final scene
Playhouse in Corpus
itly accepting registrationansj
te launches next month,
in currently services A
Southwest Texas, and Kir
company spread throughonll
gested personal political cos
ions, too.
In May an unexpected poli
ability came up, and if fat
chance of that coming to pat
Id mean that 1 would kvetosk
n as sp_eQal counsel,
in's, b„u,t he refused tosayjpfi
pleting hiswvork meant nett
open to becoming Bush's r®
mate. "I'm not going to say an)
z, more about politics.''
n the Senate, Danforth was 4
: ad vocate of Supreme Courtnou
Clarence Thomas during his®
ation hearings. After leaving4
te, he returned hometopracS
n St. Louis.
'anforth, a former state audi
attorney general, is a gradual!
:eton University and Yale'st
divinity schools. Anheirlo
:on-Purina fortune, he is an
zd Episcopal priest,
heney, a former Wyomingli
?r and White House chief ofsli
ged as the leading candidate
after changing his registrat
Texas to Wyoming to aver'
titutional hurdle if Bush wet
him.
heney's emergence quietedsf
)n that McCain wanted aspe
:ket. The timing left Republt
iering whether Bush was it
ey to divert attention from
nished rival,
nnforth's candidacy diverts
m from McCain even further
des for McCain and
dnce suspected the Arizona^
id little chance of getting the!
h McCain told a mutual feni
that he would be willing tosff
Mike Moran
The Battalion
History is full of stories of those heading west to Cali
fornia with dreams of gold. For nine current Texas A&M
track and field members and eight former tracksters, even
silver or bronze means a trip to Australia and a chance to
represent the United States in the 2000 Olympic Games.
These 17 Aggies competed in the U.S. Olympic Team
Trials, held July 14-23 at Hornet Stadium on the California
State-Sacramento campus. The top three finishers in the 20
men's events and 19 women's who also meet the Olympic
"A" qualifying standard will travel to Sydney, Australia, as
part of the U.S. Track and Field team.
The most anticipated race of the meet featured a
matchup of world-record holder Michael Johnson and
Maurice Greene, considered to be the fastest man in the
world. Floyd Heard, 34-year-old track veteran and former
A&M trackster, also secured a spot in the 200-meter final af
ter blazing through the qualifying and semi-final rounds.
When both Johnson and Greene pulled hamstrings in the
final, Heard secured second with a time of 19.88 seconds to
earn his trip to compete for the gold in Sydney.
Heard, the only Aggie to make the U.S. Olympic team,
also competed in the 100-meter dash but did not advance
past the semi-final round.
Former Aggie runner Larry Wade also turned in a re
markable performance at the trials. Last Easter, Wade suf
fered injuries in a car accident that required water to be
drained from Ms heart. He advanced to the finals of the 110-
meter hurdles and finished fifth with a time of 13.26. Wade
said he realizes the risks of competing in the hurdles.
"I'm a hurdler," Wade said. "What I do is run hurdles.
I'm not afraid to fall; it's a chance Tm willing to take. Just
like my heart, it's a chance Tm willing to take."
A&M sophomore Katy Doyle exceeded expectations at
the trials. Her new personal best toss of 179 feet 5 inches
placed her fourth in the javelin final. After this throw, Doyle
sat in third place, but Kim Kreiner bolted to second with a
mark of 187-2 on her sixth and final throw, knocking Doyle
out of the top three.
Assistant coach Ed Marcinkiewciz said he was im
pressed with Doyle's performance at the meet.
"That was awesome," Marcinkiewciz said. "Katie
(Doyle) stepped it up big-time. She was in (the top three)
heading into the finals. Kreiner just cranked her last throw.
Katie has been such a great competitor for us, and she gave
it her best on her last throw."
Doyle's success did not carry over to the other current
Aggie tracksters.
On the first day of action, sophomore Robyn Burkhardt
was unable to clear the opening height of 5-10 3/4 in the
high jump qualifying round. Later that day, Meshell Trot
ter, A&M record holder in the hammer throw at 200 feet,
finished 14th with a toss of 189-5.
Junior Christina Ohaeri posted a time of 14.41 in the 100-
meter hurdles. She did not qualify for the semi-finals.
On the men's side, senior Travis Grasha battled injuries
to finish 15th in his javelin flight with a fling of 210-02.
Senior Travis McAshan ran 50.80 in the 400-meter hur
dles, one of his better times of the season, but it was not
good enough to advance past the opening heats.
Junior Bashir Ramzy, the most prolific point scorer in
Big 12 history, finished 24th out of 26 competitors in the
triple jump. Ramzy skipped out to 52-6 3/4 in the Big 12
Championship but only managed 50-91 /4 at the trials.
Junior Kris Allen ran one of his slowest times of the sea
son, and the slowest of the qualifying round, at 14.34 in the
110-meter hurdles.
Sophomore Brandon Evans, one of the fastest collegiate
sprinters in the 400-meter dash, finished fifth in a qualify
ing heat that featured Michael Johnson. Evans' 20.94 did
not qualify him for the semi-finals.
Some of the more experienced former students en
joyed success.
See Olympics on Page 4.
1%
Jf //..
w* mm ft*.
Mark Passwaters
The Battalion
Over the past few years, several for
mer Texas A&M baseball players have
worked their way through baseball's
minor leagues with the hopes of some
day making it to the majors.
Add a former A&M basketball play
er to the group.
Kyle Kessel, a point guard for the
Aggies in 1995 and '96, returned to cen
tral Texas as a starting pitcher for the
Round Rock Express, the AA minor
league affiliate of the Houston Astros.
Kessel was traded to the Astros from
the New York Mets this winter. Astros
fans may better remember the trade as
the one that sent 21-game winner Mike
Hampton and outfielder Derek Bell to
New York for pitcher Octavio Dotel and
outfielder Roger Cedeno, two young
sters who have yet to prove themselves
with the Astros.
Originally drafted out of high school
by the Mets in 1994, Kessel was also re
cruited to play basketball for the Aggies
by former coach Tony Barone.
"I couldn't turn down the chance to
play basketball for Texas A&M," Kessel
said. For two seasons, he played college
basketball in the winter and minor-
league baseball in the summer. Eventu
ally, Kessel decided that his future was
in baseball, and he left A&M before his
junior season.
Kessel was called up from the Astros
A affiliate in Kissimee, Fla., on June 8. It
was the Illinois native's first time in
Texas since his departure, and he was
MisNiwMP
C
very excited about the opportunity to
pitch in Round Rock.
"I had heard such great things about
Round Rock," Kessel said, noting that
only a few hundred fans would show
up to watch Kissimee play. That lies in
stark contrast to the boisterous crowds
of Round Rock's Dell Diamond, where
the Express have already set the Texas
League record for attendance for a sin
gle season.
According to Round Rock manager
Jackie Moore, Kessel has been a wel
come addition to his pitching staff.
"He has pitched very well for us,"
Moore said, praising the 24-year-old's
athletic ability and intelligence. "He has
a very high ceiling."
See Kessel on Page 4.
Third annual 7 on 7 football tournament takes place on A&M campus
i Chief
Tens, Opinion Edicor
lood, Sports Editor
lutson, Sci/Tech Editor
), Photo Editor
Deluna, Graphics Editor
t Payton, Web Master
tents at Texas A&M University in 1 )
nalism. News offices are in 014^
45-2647; E-mail: Thebattalioi#
ponsorship or endorsement by^
call 845-2696. For classified a*-
cDonald, and office hours areSJ -
iach Texas A&M student to picknf' 1
; 25$. Mail subscriptions are $601^
e summer or $10 a month. TocM?
-2611.
ay through Friday during the fall®’
immer session (except University 1 ';
s Postage Paid at College Station,
m,Texas A&M University, llllP
Reece Flood
Grant May of Celina High makes his way to the end zone for a diving touchdown during
the championship game. Celina won the game 45-41.
The Battalion
Sixty-four teams representing high schools from across Texas traveled
to College Station last weekend to take part in the third annual Fox Sports
Net 7 on 7 state football tournament. The Celina High Bobcats left town
with the championship, beating Abilene Cooper High 45-41 in the cham
pionship game.
The tournament began Friday witla each team playing three games on
fields throughout the Texas A&M campus and concluded Saturday af
ternoon with a championship shootout at Kyle Field.
Quarterback Adam Herrin lead Celina to eight straight victories in the
tournament and threw for seven touchdowns in the championship game.
Receivers Ross Roby and Josh Sharrock chipped in with two touchdown
receptions each to help Celina win.
Victory did not come easily for the Bobcats. With 9:25 left in the first
half of play, Abilene Cooper had a 21-6 lead. Celina slowly chipped away
at the lead throughout the game and found itself ahead 45-41 with pos
session of the ball with 1:30 left in the game. All it needed was a first down
to run out the clock.
After two incomplete pass attempts, Roby made a clutch reception
just past the first-down mark, which turned out to be the last play of
the game. Celina did not take another snap, and both teams watched
the time run off the clock.
Roby was pleased with Ms team's success in the tournament and was
happy the team had the chance to play some of the bigger schools in the
state. Celina is in district 12-2A, while Abilene Cooper is in district 4-5A.
"I love playing the big schools," Roby said. "Now, playing in a 2A
school, I look forward to coming out and trying to beat some of the big
schools, and we did. I'm just happy we got the opportunity to come down
here and play these big schools."
Celina's tournament coach Rex Glendenning thinks the tournament
victory might bring respect to the football program.
"A lot of teams see a 2A school come in and really don't think much
about it," Glendenning said. "These kids have as much heart and as much
athleticism as any school."
With Glendenning in charge of the team, Celina football coach G. A.
Moore had the opportunity to play the role of fan. Moore was unable to
take any part in coaching during the tournament because of University
Interscholastic League rules and had no involvement with the team dur
ing the tournament.
"The only time I see these kids is when they're playing seven on sev
en," Moore said. "I guess that's one of the reasons I like it. I get to go sit up
in the stands or walk up and down the endzone.
"I'll tell you what, there are some talented athletes down here," Moore
said. "Every team that you see has got some fabulous athletes. Tm really
impressed with them."
Tournament director Bobby Burton agreed with Moore, saying the lev
el of competition was "the highest it's ever been."
Burton said that the tournament keeps getting better and that it pro
vides a chance for high school football players to practice their game in an
entertaining setting.
"I don't think there's any question it's one of the best events for young
high school athletes in the state of Texas," Burton said.
Tiger wins fourth major at British Open
Sports in Brief
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) —
The coronation is complete.
Tiger Woods strolled over the
Swilken Bridge and into history Sun
day, winning the career Grand Slam
with a performance never before seen
at golf's hallowed home.
It was a fitting place for Woods to
capture the British Open, on a course
where the game has been played for
more than 500 years.
With the old gray town of St. An
drews as his backdrop, the 24-year-
old Woods became the youngest play
er to win all four major
championships and just the fifth ever.
"It's the ultimate," Woods said.
"This is the home of golf. This is
where you always want to win. To
have a chance to complete the slam at
St. Andrews is pretty special. I was
able to bring it home."
Hundreds of daring fans tried to
leap over the bum on the 18th fairway
to watch Woods finish off his latest
masterpiece. He did not disappoint
them, making a par on the final hole
for a 69 that set another benchmark
for years to come.
He finished at 19-under 269, the
lowest score in relation to par ever at
a major championship — and that
includes his record 15-shot victory in
the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach just
last month.
Perhaps Tom Watson, the only
man to win a British Open at five
courses but never at St. Andrews,
summed it up best.
"He is something supernatural,"
Watson said. "He has raised the bar to
a level that only he can jump."
“[Tiger Woods]
has raised the
bar to a level
that only he can
)ump.”
— Tom Watson
professional golfer
Woods beat back a brief scare from
David Duval to become the first play
er to win the Grand Slam since Jack
Nicklaus' victory in the 1966 British
Open at age 26.
Woods seems to be racing toward
the record that matters the most — the
18 majors Nicklaus won in a career
that remains the standard. For now.
"He is the chosen one. He's the
best player who has played the game
right now," said Mark Calcavecchia,
who stuck around St. Andrews to
watch history in the making. "If Jack
was in his prime today, I don't think
he could keep up with Tiger."
Comparing eras is never easy, but
Woods' performance in the majors
stands alone.
Woods won the silver claret jug by
eight strokes over Ernie Els and
Thomas Bjorn, the largest margin of
victory in the British Open since 1913,
when J.H. Taylor won by eight strokes
over Ted Ray.
Woods became only the second
British Open champion to win with
four rounds in the 60s, and he beat by
one stroke the record Nick Faldo set at
St. Andrews in 1990.
"The guy is simply in a different
league," Faldo said.
Woods also became the first play
er since Watson in 1982 to win the U.S.
and British Opens in the same year,
and the first since Nicklaus in 1972 to
own three major championships at
the same time.
See British Open on Page 4.
A&M women’s swimming
announces new coach
Texas A&M women’s swimming coach Steve Bult-
man announced Wednesday that Kristin Hill will be the
assistant women’s swimming coach. Hill is the former
head coach of both the men’s and women’s swimming
teams at Colorado School of Mines.
In the 2000 season, Hill coached her team to 22
team records and an honorable mention All-American
finish by a freshman swimmer at the Men’s Division II
NCAA Championships.
Before coaching at the collegiate level, Hill was the
assistant coach for the state championship age group
program in Colorado Springs, Colo., and also was the
head women’s swimming and diving coach at Manitou
Springs High School in Colorado.
A&M soccer signs up first
recruit of 2001 season
Texas A&M soccer coach G. Guerrieri announced
Tuesday Linsey Johnson was signed as A&M’s first re
cruit for the 2001 season.
Johnson was selected to the Southern United
States Under-19 Olympic Development Pool and was
an all-district forward at Robert E. Lee High School in
Midland, Texas, following the ’98, ’99 and ’00 sea
sons. Johnson will graduate from Lee High in Decem
ber and will enroll at A&M and begin training with the
team in the spring.
Meanwhile, the Aggies are preparing for the 2000
season. The team is ranked No. 11 in the presea
son edition of the NSCAA/Adidas Top 25 poll. The
Aggies will travel to Europe in August for a 10-day ex
hibition before opening their season at the Aggie
Soccer Complex against the University of Central
Florida on Aug. 25.
The following Sunday, A&M will host defending na
tional champion University of North Carolina.
Mayfield loses to Wallace in
final lap of Pennsylvania 500
LONG POND, Pa. (AP) — Rusty Wallace took the lead
after teammate Jeremy Mayfield blew a tire on the fi
nal lap, then held off Jeff Burton by two car-lengths
Sunday to win the Pennsylvania 500.
Mayfield, who won last month at Pocono Interna
tional Raceway by nudging Dale Earnhardt aside on the
final lap, blew his right front tire a little more than a
mile from the end. That allowed Wallace and Burton to
get by, and Mayfield wound up 10th.
The victory was the fourth on the 2 1/2-mile trian
gular track for Wallace, tying him with Darrell Waltrip,
Bill Elliott and the late Tim Richmond for the most on
the mountaintop.
“He raced me hard and he raced me clean,” Wal
lace said of Burton.
Poised for what would have been his series-leading
eighth pole of the season, Wallace lost that two days
earlier when Tony Stewart set a record for Pocono In
ternational Raceway with a qualifying lap at 172.391
mph.
Wallace, whose only previous victory this year came
four months ago in Bristol, Tenn., said he would rather
win the race.