Page 6
Sports
Wednesday. Novi
THE BATTALION
Rivalry Revived
'l
Nation’s third longest rivi^
returns to old form for 2
TOOMBS
RLE PHOTOArhe Battalion
Texas A&M defensive lineman Ron Edwards and the Wrecking Crew defense put the pressure on Texas' highly touted freshman quarterback
Chris Simms in 1999's 20-1 6 Aggies victory. This season Simms will draw the start again and the Wrecking Crew is just as ready.
UT talk provides extra incentive for Ags
(AP) — So much for a friendlier, kinder Texas A&M-
Texas rivalry.
After a year of softened opposition caused by the 1999
Aggie Bonfire collapse at A&M that killed 12 and injured
27, Longhorn linebacker D.D. Lewis got things back on
track when he observed that the best way to stop jumbo
A&M fullback Ja’MarToombs was to hit him in the mouth.
Tuesday, it was the Aggies’ turn.
“Right back at him, let’s go get hit in the mouth a few
times,’’ Toombs said. “I laughed at it. It’s sort of like he’s
issuing a challenge and I gladly accept. I plan to get hit in
the mouth but I don’t think I’ll fold.’’
Toombs came up big for the Aggies in last year’s emo
tion-tinged game, rushing for 126 yards and scoring two
touchdowns in a 20-16 victory for A&M. That was a year
ago, when Toombs weighed 265 pounds.
At a slimmed-down, more agile 255, he rushed for 72
yards against No. 1 ranked Oklahoma last week and
scored on a thrilling 27-yard run, carrying three Sooners
into the end zone.
“He’s.(Lewis) is trying to say last year was a fluke and
it really wasn’t,’’Toombs said. “1 played a good game last
year. T carried 37 times and I didn’t fold.”
Toombs’ teammates thought it unwise to rankle their
big fullback.
“1 wouldn’t be calling Ja’Mar out,” said injured line
backer Jason Glenn. “He almost ran over me and I’m on
crutches. You place your bets. There isn’t anybody who can
stop Ja’Mar right now. He’s been on a rampage lately.”
Coach R.C. Slocum read Lewis’ comments to the
team after Monday’s practice and suggested a more
subdued response.
“I’ve always had a philosophy, based on experience
or my personality, before a game the guys who are the
real winners are so concerned about game preparations
they don’t have time to talk a lot,” Slocum said. “During
a game, he’s so concerned about doing his job he doesn’t
have time to talk. After the game he doesn’t have to talk
because he’s won the game.” .
Slocum is hoping his philosophy will ring true again.
FILE PHOTO/The Battalion
Ja'Mar Toombs ran over the Texas
defense for 126 yards in 1999's win.
By Blaine Dionne
The Battalion
The defrosting of turkeys has be
gun, families are reuniting for the
holidays and, capping off the im
pending Thanksgiving feeding fren
zy, is the annual
Texas A&M vs.
Texas matchup.
While the No.
12 Longhorns (8-2,
6-1 Big 12) are
ahead in the all-
time series by 33
wins, the rivalry
has become much
more competitive
recently.
The No. 22 Aggies (7-3,5-2) have
taken 12 of the last 16 meetings, win
ning last year’s emotional Bonfire
game, 20-16, in front of the then-
largest crowd to witness a football
game in Texas.
For a rivalry that has been punc
tuated over the years by the supposed
hatred between the two schools, even
bubbling over intopregame brawls at
times, the last few meetings have
been surprisingly civil.
At Austin in 1998, feelings were
close to brotherly as Ricky Williams
stole the show, breaking Tony
Dorsett’s all-time NCAA rushing
record en route to winning the Heis-
man. In the week preceding that game,
the Aggies all but conceded the record
to Williams and ended up losing the
game on a last-second field goal.
Last year, the aftermath of
the 1999 Aggie Bonfire collapse put
football into perspective, according
to offensive lineman Chris Valletta.
“Last year put everything in per
spective for both the schools, you
know, what football really is. It’s not
a life or death thing,” Valletta said.
“The Bonfire tragedy changed that
reality for all of us.”
This year, things are starting to get
back to normal, evidenced by Texas
linebacker D.D. Lewis’ comment
about A&M fullback Ja’Mar
Toombs.
Lewis told the Associated Press,
“All you got to do is hit him in the
mouth and he’ll fold.”
Toombs had little to say in return.
“We’ll just see whatli
the field,” Toombs said.
Talking or not talking.: ?
special to both sides.This]
the l()7th time the Aggies,
horns have squared offoij
placing the rivalry atNo.li
football’s all-timematdiu?]
This year’s game pits lite
No. 1 scoring defense
against the conference’s Si*
scoring offense in the Lo:: U co
Texas running badlf
Mitchell leads the confetrM*’
purpose yards, averagingi'Bj 1 1 L ' c . (
per contest and drawinge 0Vl
to that other famous Texi
Ricky Williams.
“Not to take anythingai
Ricky, because he wasag
but I think Hodges raightlj
quicker to the comer,"s
linebacker Harold
“Mitchell’s a real good bail
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is hit him (/aBsh the
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■ The si
Aggies make final bid for tourney with holiday stretc
Longhorn rivalry provides
emotional finish to season
By Bree Holz
The Battalion
The longtime University of
Texas-Texas A&M rivalry will con
tinue Saturday night when the Aggie
volleyball team hosts the Longhorns
at G. Rollie White Coliseum in its fi
nal home match of the season. First
serve is set for 7 p.m.
Seniors Christy Clark, Claire Har
vey and Heather Marshall will be
honored Saturday night when they
play their last match at G. Rollie
White.
“I’m ready to leave it all on the
floor,” Marshall said. “I just want to
have fun and finish strong and try to en
joy these last few weeks of volleyball.”
Clark said she is excited to finish
her career against Texas at home.
“It’s pretty much the icing on the
cake,” she said. “Also, I think it’s go
ing to help the team out because of
all the emotion that’s going into this
particular match. I’m really looking
forward to it.”
Texas holds an 8-10 Big 12 record
and sits in seventh place in the con
ference. The Longhorns have not
won in College Station in the last two
seasons.
“Texas has a young team, but they
will come armed,” said A&M coach
Laurie Corbelli. “But anything can
happen, and we’re going to have to
play very well to beat them.”
The Longhorns and Aggies have
battled 68 times dating back to 1974.
Texas leads the series, 53-15, and de
feated the Aggies last season in
Austin.
“We’re definitely going to be
fired up for this match because it’s
Texas,” said outside hitter Michelle
Cole. “It’s going to be a battle.”
A&M defeated the Longhorns in
Austin earlier this season, 3-1, for the
first time since 1979.
“We’re playing with a lot of con
fidence right now, and playing at
home is going to be great,” Cole said.
“We’ve been playing very consis
tently, and we’ve been focusing on
our own game.”
The Texas trio of receiv®^ I al >on,
freshman phenomRoyfPk'cthe j
wideout heavily recruitedbwpitol i
out of Odessa Permian Hi w “Acc<
will present problemsfortli< :e F cl ion :s
injury-depleted backfield ln accorc
' The 6-5, 210 pound*of Floric
now holding UT ffeshmaiiftorge ’
for most receptions, yardsatw’s 25 e
downs in a season andisfrf Debt
ing one of Texas’favoriteta®>'self-:
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County,
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Janie
Kansas State offers chamfi
to rebound from loss toll
By Bree Holz
FILE PHOTO/The Battalion
Texas A&M senior Heather Marshall will play her last two regular season
games in G. Rollie White against Texas and Kansas State during the holiday.
The Battalion
After a crucial loss to Texas Tech
on Saturday, the No. 25 Texas A&M
volleyball team will battle No. 24
Kansas State University today at G.
Rollie White Coliseum at 7 p.m.
Kansas State boasts a 14-4 Big 12
record and a 20-6 overall record and
sits in second place in the conference
behind No. 1 Nebraska. A&M sits in
fourth place and holds a 12-6 league
record and a 17-8 overall mark.
In the Preseason Big 12 Coaches
Poll, the Wildcats were picked to fin
ish in fourth place and currently hold
a six-match winning streak.
Kansas State defeated A&M ear
lier this season, 3-2, in Manhattan,
Kan. However, the Wildcats have
never won in College Station.
“A&M is known for playing well
at home, and I think that’s really go
ing to help us,” A&M coach Laurie
Corbelli said. “But Kansas State is
going to come in tough and ready to
get a win.”
fflent la
■Hint £
fepeatei
Corbelli said the teani'f He s
dence has not been tainted' under tf
loss to Tech. ti ( >n Da
“The team is not disced angec
Corbelli said. “Tech played bounce-
ing volleyball, so we havefWlled ^
be down about. The team isrfourts -
fident and they’ve gotalotof#t of la
Kansas State was victoriwhe U.S
the University of Colorado(ij 0l 'al arg
day, 3-0. Outside hitter Liz''1 “At
was awarded Big 12 Playei jpre,” \
Week because of hercontriwfow mu
the Wildcats’ win overCotetjU hom
“I’m expecting a greatf, “We
mance tomorrow night,” fftme to
said. “We’re going to haveFor
great defense and serve tooeTubsoL
Outside hitter ChristyC®e U.j
the team will have to focusoaThe stat
game to be successful. L the t
“Kansas State is goingtoi'ftnd ha
really strong, and we reaKjLichir
Clark said. “We’ve just gottof^Jeanint
game and not worry about wM'A; ‘
going to do. It’s a lot easier to W
home, in front of our hometf';»,
- 4^
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