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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 2001)
1 Mondav. Monday, July 23, 2001 Sports Page 3 inued from pected and ai id asked aboi he things ou could,” Hi ent student ike you, proftv ic said. “Easie ler because ; the perfecte dcssor.” 1990 to 1997 J an associates a duate at A&.V| ic AmericanS| graduate awarl ne m conjunct^ and Urban Pi wed from f: di carries out: [ilans despite:. THE BATTALION ootball season arrives early [4d»M campus gets dose of pigskin with 7-on-7 tournament, Baytown Lee wins event Michael Balhoff and Mark Passwaters The Battalion I Baytown Lee required a tiebreaker to escape Friday’s preliminary rounds of the 2002 7-on-7 football tourna- nient. On Saturday, they took matters into their own hands. I The Ganders put on an offensive ex- hibition in the championship tourna- nent, capping off the run by holding iff a furious rally by Austin Bowie and iscaping with a 34-32 victory. With a 1 record on Friday, Baytown Lee had lo rely on a total-points- scored iebreaker to move on to the champi- anship tournament. On Saturday, quarterback Drew Tate who has received interest from Pur ine University, among other schools — :ook full advantage of the gift, leading he team to three consecutive 40 point Igames, rolling over McKinney, Cy-Fair land Gladewater. Baytown coach Dick Olin said that the 7-on-7 passing format was a defi nite advantage for his team. “We’re running our offense,” Olin said. “We throw and we catch.” Tate, who has thrown for 4,700 yards in two years at the quarterback helm, stepped up the offense another notch in the semifinals. The Ganders beat Keller 48-34 to advance to the champi onship game at Kyle Field. Austin Bowie took the opposite route in advancing through the tourna ment. It used a suffocating defense that held its three previous opponents to 38 combined points. A 21-19 win over Plano in the semifinals advanced them to their final matchup with Raytown Lee. In the championship game, they fi nally ran into an offense that they could Other sports, like base ball and basketball get to play year-round, and now at least we have something” — Dick Olin Baytown coach not stop. The teams locked up in a shootout where incomplete passes were a rarity. Baytown Lee took a 27-18 halftime lead and was trying to hold on to a touchdown lead with time winding down. After relying on offensive produc tion all day, it was a'defensive play that ensured Baytown Lee the champi onship. The Ganders intercepted a Bowie pass to end a- promising drive and seal the victory. Olin hoped that the 7-on-7 champi onship was a sign of good things to come as the high school regular season sets to get underway. “Maybe the kids know what it’s like to be successful...there isn’t a whole lot of difference between teams that win and teams that lose except for confi dence,” Olin said. Baytown’s coach went on to say that the format, while being different from the football they played in the fall, was still useful. “Granted, you can’t run and there’s no (defensive pass) rush, but it’s related to football,” Olin said. “Other sports, like baseball and bas ketball get to play year-round, and now at least we have something.” In consolation play earlier in the day, Abilene Cooper beat Creekview 34-32. With the game tied at 20 at halftime, Cooper was able to prevent Creekview from converting on their two second half extra-point attempts and deflected away a desperation pass as time expired. The 7-on-7 format had several rules that differed from regular football. Along with no running the football and no pass rush from the defense, the quar terback was required to throw the ball within four seconds of taking the snap. The teams played on a 45-yard field with a continuously running clock. Each half lasted 20 minutes. McNeal makes memorable first impression on campus Michael Balhoff The Battalion Reggie McNeal has heard all the hype. Everyone, from his high school coach to recruiting experts nation wide has compared the Lufkin senior quarterback to Michael Vick, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. When Vick came out of high school, he was rated die top run/pass quarterback in the nation. Entering his senior year, McNeal has been giv en the same distinction. Vick was also rated a Top-10 recruit by ESPN in 1997; this year, McNeal is ranked third. While the A&M recruit is flattered to be held in such high esteem, he would rather create his own identity instead of mimicking someone else. “I’m just gonna be me,” McNeal said. “I guess I have a similar style to Michael Vick, but I want to have my own name.” Fie may have taken the first step to achieving his goal with an impressive performance this weekend at the 7- on-7 state championships played on the A&M campus. Playing in front of large crowds in terested in getting a glimpse at the Aggies’ most recent and highly tout ed 2002 commitment, McNeal did not disappoint. This weekend, McNeal was not able to show off his speed or evasive ability, as 7-on-7 rules prevent quar terbacks from scrambling. However, he was able to show off his strong aftd accurate arm in the passing-only event. In stifling heat that had taken a physical toll on the players by the end of the weekend, McNeal played al most every down on offense and de fense, taking his turn at quarterback, receiver, linebacker and safety. Lufkin got off to a fine start on Fri day, compiling a 3-0 record against Bay City (27-20), Grapevine (26-19) and Pearland (41-13), a team that fea tured quarterback Noah Allen, who has verbally committed to the Uni versity of Oklahoma. “We’re here to compete but it’s See McNeal on Page 6. we unfa c ronh Duval wins British Open, removes glasses LY7TIAM ST. ANNES, England (AP) — David Duval never doubted he had the met tle to win a major champi- , onship. Now he has a silver claret jug to prove it. Duval refused to let the British Open turn into the shootout everyone expected, seizing control Sunday with a - Vladiwf- issian pres:: :eshasf 2001 David Duval 2000 Tiger Woods 1 999 Paul Lawrie 1998 Mark O’Meara 1997 Justin Leonard 19 96 Tom Lehman 1995 # John Daly United States United States Scotland United States United States U n ited States United States RUBEN DELUNA/The Battalion rock-solid game that carried him to a 4-under 67 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes and gave him his first major champi onship. Maintaining a stoic de meanor behind his wraparound shades to the very end, Duval removed his sunglasses, tipped his cap to the adoring crowd and finally walked off the 18th green of a major tournament as a champion. He finished at 274 for a three-stroke victory over Niklas Fasth of Sweden, the only one among a long list of proven players who sustained any kind of challenge. Former Masters champion Ian Woosnam might have been on that list. But after nearly mak ing an ace on the opening hole, the Welshman realized he had an extra club in his bag and was as sessed a two-stroke penalty. That might have made Du val’s task a little tougher at the end. Haunted by the costly mis take, Woosnam finished with a 71 and was four strokes back at 278 along with five others. Three of them were major championship winners — Woosnam, two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer and two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els. Now, with this victory, Duval takes his place among them. The only player besides Tiger Woods to be ranked No. 1 in the past three years, Duval expected to be there all along. He carried some baggage to Royal Lytham — four chances at Augusta National, two at the U.S. Open and even last year at St. Andrews. He flew home from that British Open with Woods and got a good look at the claret jug. On Sunday, he never really let it out of his grasp. “It’s kind of a big relief,” he said. “It’s so pressure-packed in major championships, and then you put it on a golf course like this, where any minor mistake is magnified and it makes the pressure even greater. You just can’t let up, and I didn’t let up today.” He becomes the sixth Amer ican in the past seven years to win golf’s oldest championship. Another major championship passed without Woods in seri ous contention at any time. Like so many others, Woods could not make enough birdies on a firm, fast links course lit tered with pot bunkers. He took triple bogey on the par-3 12th and wound up nine strokes be hind in a tie for 25th, his worst finish in a major in nearly four years. “I’m not thrilled that I wasn’t able to contend down the stretch, but I had my chances See Duval on Page 6. Sports in Brief Armstrong grabs lead in Tour De France LUZ-ARDIDEN, France (AP) — Lance Armstrong bolstered his chances for a third straight Tour de France title, holding the leader’s yellow jersey after the race’s final mountain stage. Armstrong finished fourth in the 14th stage Sunday, crossing the line just behind main rival Jan Ullrich of Germany. The Texan has been the overall leader for two straight days. This was the last big opportunity for Armstrong’s rivals to challenge for the yellow jersey because the remaining flat stages make it difficult for riders to take a sizable lead. Roberto Laiseka of Spain delighted thousands of fans from his native Basque region by winning the leg from Tarbes to this ski station high in the Pyrenees. Wladimir Belli ofijtaly fin ished second. 1 dead, 11 injured at Lorain County Speedway AMHERST, Ohio (AP) — Two cars jumped a guard rail and hit a section of bleachers at a track, killing a wheel chair-bound woman and injuring at least 11 spectators. Authorities said Sunday that four people were taken by helicopter from Lorain County Speedway to Metro- Health Medical Center in Cleveland. Virginia Wyleth, 65, was pro nounced dead early Sunday, a nursing supervisor said. Fler hometown was not available, the county sheriff’s de partment said. The accident occurred about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Lorain County Sheriff’s Capt. Jim Drozdowski said two drivers collided just before the accident. “TWo of the cars accelerated and bumped and the drivers lost control, went over a guard rail, took out a fence and hit a set of stands,” Drozdowski said. The two drivers were treated at the scene. Also at MetroHealth, Ivan Zirkle, 69, of Avon, was in good condition Sunday with a back injury, and 19-year- old Jacob Webster, whose hometown was not available, was in satisfactory condition with a leg injury. or in Chief ^ing Editor , Radio Produce Opinion Editor Graphics Editor roto Editor Jews Editor , Sports Editot Webmaster. Asst. Aggidifefl Design Director #1055-4726) is iday during the fallal through Thursday o." University holidays a’:- v Jmversity. Periodicals^ f X 77840. POSMSTE ! arfa//tk Texas ASM il" ion, TX 77843-1111. s department is mat? University in the Otf ■■ it of the DepaitiK' are in 014 Reed Mi I one: 845-3313: Far ion@hotmail.com: * )f advertising does rc' g nent by The flatte" dial display adverts: advertising, call Sfr' 015 Reed Mete' to 5 p.m. Monday: «Student Serviosff ant to pick up a# free, additional cop*' per school year, $3t' $17.50 forthestir' ; ard, Discover, or W THE WAY IT PLAYS OUT TWednesday - * 3 of A Kind * Formerly Speakeasy Cover $ 3.00 TThursday - Band tba Call for details: llb-HSb TFriday - :: Millhouse * Cover $ 6.00 ▼ Saturday - * Lure, Linus, 12 Lead * Cover $ 5.00 Where real musicians play! 201 W. 26th Street, Downtown Bryan 775-7735 rFAggieland Depot”^ Unique Aggie Gifts - Diploma Framing Culpepper Plaza (979) 695-1422 • Aggie Art • Picture Frames • Books • Corps Miniatures • Jewelry • Aggie Cross Stitch Poems • Campus Landmarks www.aggieland-depot.com | J * EPICURES CAEE 2319 Texas Ave. South * College Station (979) 695-0985 * Fax (979) 696-3322 Private Banquet Room Available Lunch Buffet &7.95 Soup & Salad $5.95 Sandwich & Soup or Salad $7.25 Fresh Baked Bread Daily Delectable Desserts Espresso Mon-Fri: Lunch 11-2 Sat: Closed For Private Events Sun: Brunch 10-2 PROFITABLE NUMBER! 845-0569 The Battalion CLASSIFIEDS