Football

September 4, 2000

UW-Stout Blue Devils (1-0, 0-0 WIAC) at Franklin College Grizzlies (0-0, 0-0 Heartland
Saturday, Sept. 9, 1:30 p.m.
Stewart "Red" Faught Stadium, Franklin, Ind.

ON THE LINE: Stout showed a strong defense last week in a 34-6 season opening thrashing of Lakeland College. The Blue Devils face a 10-hour road trip. Franklin will be attempting to break a season-ending three game losing streak. The game is the season opener for Franklin.

LAST TIME OUT: Stout: The Stout defense rose to the occasion Sept. 2 at they picked off five Lakeland interceptions, turning them into 20 points. Linebacker Steve Miller (Sr, Lodi) had two interceptions, returning one for a TD. Cornerback Eric Moe (So, Hixton) picked off two throws and Rob Weinstein (Fr, Racine) picked off another. As a unit, Stout held Lakeland to 104 total yards, recording six sacks and five more tackles for losses. Jeff Hazuga (Sr, Thorp) had two sacks for 20 yards. Offensively, the Blue Devils utilized three quarterbacks, with Matt Lonergan (So, Hartford) getting the start. Lonergan lofted a 46-yard TD pass to freshman Abraham Cruz (Alhambra, Calif).

Franklin: The Grizzlies ended their 1999 season with a 27-10 loss to perennial power Hanover. Franklin scored 17 total points in their final two games, and averaged 12.7 points in their last three games.

THE SERIES: The teams have never met. Franklin will travel to Menomonie next season.

STOUT PLAYERS TO WATCH: (1999 statistics) WR Josh Antoni (So, Holmen) 13 receptions, 204 yds; 23.4 y/catch, 2 TDs; LB Jamie Spielman (So, Menomonie) 101 tackles, 53 solo, 9 tackles for loss of 45 yds, 6 sacks for loss of 44 yds, 2 fumble recoveries; Steve Miller (Sr, Lodi) 81 tackles, 39 solo, 2 sacks; LB Eric Lund (Sr, Ashland) 69 tackles, 34 solo, 4 sacks for 37 yds, 6 pass break-ups, injured, out for the season; P/PK Kevin McCulley (Sr, Fond du Lac) named to four preseason all-America teams, first team all-WIAC kicker and punter, 9/13 FG/A, 22/23 PAT, 49 pts, avg 40.1 y/game punting (against Lakeland, McCulley added two field goals and ran his PAT streak to 26); Note: RB Aaron Johnson was injured before the season in an auto accident and remains hospitalized in a St. Paul, Minn., hospital in fair condition; Blue Devils avg 337.9 total ypg, 121.0 rushing, 216.9 passing; give up 324.9 total ypg, 171.6 rushing, 153.3 passing.

FRANKLIN PLAYERS TO WATCH: (1999 stats) WR Jim Larkin (Sr, Plymouth, Ind) 69 rec, 1026 yds, 14.9 y/catch, 11 TD, 102.6 y/game, carried the ball 19 times for 6.6 y/car, 1 TD, teams leading score with 78 points, kickoff returns for 25.1 y/ret, punt return for 7.8 y/ret; TE Joe Krouse (Sr, Ft. Wayne, Ind) 26 rec, 307 yds, 11.8 y/catch, 3TDs, 30.7 y/game; QB Brad Huf f(Fr, Monrovia, Ind) first collegiate action; DB Pat Manford; (Sr, Moores Hills, Ind) 52 tackles, 30 solo, 4 int; DB Chris Johnson (Sr, New Albany, Ind) 67 tackles, 40 solo, 4 int, avg 19.3 y/int; LB Josh McMillin (So, Franklin, Ind) ; DL Dan Rector (Sr, Rockville, Ind); K Jeremy Skura; Grizzlies avg. 426.3 total ypg, 55.6 rushing, 370.7 passing; give up 449.0 total ypg, 152.5 rushing, 296.5 passing

OFFENSIVE LOOK: Franklin: run and shoot; Stout: multi-pro set which incorporates a West Coast style offense. DEFENSIVE LOOK: Franklin: 4-3; Stout: 3-4

COACHES: Stout coach Ed Meierkort (27-44 career) is in his eighth year, and needs one more win to tie the most wins by a Stout coach. Franklin coach Bill Unsworth (35-61-1 overall) is in his 11th year as a head coach and his third (10-10) at Franklin.

STOUT COACH ED MEIERKORT SAYS: "This was a very good win for us, on the road, winning against a team that is used to winning. Anytime you go five hours, and get a win, that's good. We played very good defense, our special teams were excellent, especially considering the field conditions (muddy). Our young offense scored four of five times we were in the red zone. All three of our quarterbacks (Matt Lonergan, So, Hartford; Justin Fjeldstad, Jr, Mineapolis, Minn; Matt Bichanich, Jr, Oak Creek) were effective and we are not afraid to throw any of the three.Our fullbacks played excellent. As an offensive unit, though, we need to continue to improve weekly. Defensively, it was a thrashing. Our freshmen that played, played well. It was the first snaps for many (of our players) in a college game.

"Franklin is as close a carbon copy as you are going to get with Lakeland. It's a short (practice) week for us with a 10-hour road trip (leaving Friday morning at 4 a.m.). The have an excellent wide receiver in Jim Larkin, and their defense moves around a lot, similar to River Falls. Franklin wanted to play a team in our league, and they picked us. We take a lot of pride in our league, and we will represent our league well."

September 2, 2000

SHEBOYGAN - During the preseason, UW-Stout head coach Ed Meierkort said his Blue Devils would have to hang their hats on their defense while a relatively young offense comes of age. Defense prevailed in the opener, as Stout downed Lakeland College, 34-6, Saturday, Sept. 2 at Sheboygan.

The Blue Devils notched five interceptions, turning them into 20 points. Steve Miller (Sr, Lodi) had two picks, including one he returned for a TD. Eric Moe (So, Hixton) also had two interceptions and Rob Weinstein (Fr, Racine) had one interception and a blocked extra point. Jeff Hazuga (Sr, Thorp) recorded two sacks for 20 yards as the Blue Devils recorded six sacks on the day. The Blue Devil defense allowed 104 total yards and held the Muskies to negative yardage in the second half.

Stout scored early on a 36-yard field goal by Kevin McCulley (Sr, Fond du Lac) following Miller's first interception. The Blue Devils scored the first touchdown when quarterback Matt Lonergan's (So, Hartford) pump fake froze the Lakeland defender and Abraham Cruz (Fr, Alhambra, Calif) snagged the pass for a 45-yard run down the left sideline.

Miller moved the score to 17-0 when he returned an interception 10 yards for a score. The Muskies picked up their only score of the game midway through the second quarter when Dave Wulff bulled his way over.

McCulley hit his second field goal of the day on the muddy turf in the third quarter, and Stout added TDs in the third and fourth quarters for the final score. McCulley kicked four extra points to run his total of consecutive extra points to 26.

Running back Mark Ralph (Jr, Colfax) was the hard luck kid of the game for the Blue Devils. Ralph ran for two apparent touchdowns, but both were called back due to penalties.

The Blue Devils will be at Franklin College, Saturday, Sept. 9.

Soccer

September 3, 2000

AURORA, Ill - The UW-Stout soccer team dug a hole early and started to dig their way out, but couldn't get far enough as they dropped a 2-1 non-conference contest to Aurora College, Sunday, Sept. 3 in Aurora, Ill.

The Blue Devils' Becca Carlson (Sr, Rosemount, MInn) scored at the 62nd minute after Aurora scored in the first half, then early in the second half.

The teams combined for only 11 shots on goal all day as Blue Devil goalkeeper Jessie Sutherland (Jr, Duluth, Minn) stopped four shots, as did the Aurora goalkeeper.

The loss drops Stout to 0-2 after a season opening 1-0 loss to Illinois Wesleyan, Sept. 1.

Stout opens the home portion of their schedule Thursday, Sept. 7 when they Wisconsin Lutheran College at 5 p.m. at the River Heights field. The game is also Red Cedar Soccer Association day.

Volleyball

September 2, 2000

SUPERIOR - Kim Roshell (Jr, Cornell) and Brooke Palmer (Jr, Mantorville, Minn) were named to the all-tournament team of the UW-Superior Stinger Classic as the Blue Devils placed third, Saturday, Sept. 2.

After needing only three games in each match of the first day of the tournament, Stout needed to go the distance in two of their three matches.

The Blue Devils (3-1) downed St. Scholastic, 14-16, 4-15, 15-8, 15-9, 16-14, then fell to St. Thomas in four, 16-14, 9-15, 15-12, 16-14. Stout defeated St. Norbert, 10-15, 16-14, 15-10, 13-15, 15-5 in the third place match.

Stout will open their home schedule Wednesday, Sept. 6 when they host Macalester College at 7:30 p.m.

September 1, 2000

SUPERIOR - Kim Roshell (Jr, Cornell) showed few signs of rust after a red-shirted season as she helped lead the UW-Stout volleyball team to two season opening wins at the UW-Superior Stinger Classic, Friday, Sept. 1.

Roshell racked up eight kills in the opener as the Blue Devils swept Northland College, 15-2, 15-15, 15-2, then came back with 13 kills and 13 digs as Stout took Lawrence College, 15-5, 15-13, 15-7.

Brooke Palmer (Jr, Mantorville, Minn) recorded a team-high 11 kills in the opener, and Rachel Eidet (Jr, North Mankato, Minn) added 11 kills in the second. Laura Bogenschutz (Fr, Baxter, Minn), making her first collegiate starts at the setter position, had 29 assists against Northland, then upped her total to 36 assists against Lawrence.

Women's Cross Country

September 2, 2000

MENOMONIE - The UW-Stout women's cross country team showed improvement and finished second at their own UW-Stout Blue Devil Invitational Saturday, Sept. 2.

Lisa Sorvala (So, New Brighton, Minn) placed third to lead the Blue Devils in a time of 20-minutes, 10.2-seconds. Amy Arndt (Jr, Lakefield, Minn) was 10th (20:51.20).

Heather Stiles (Fr, Eden Prairie, Minn) and Heidi Bedsted (Jr, Plainview, Minn) finished in a virtual dead heat with three other runners, and all five runners were awarded 13th place.

The Blue Devils will be off until Sept. 16 when they travel to the St. Olaf Invitational.

UW-Stout Blue Devil Invitational
1. UW-Eau Claire 30; 2. UW-Stout 61; 3. Northwestern College 69; 4. St. Scholastica 73.

Individual results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
1. Sarah Ostercamp (Northwestern) 29:35.8; 3. Lisa Sorvala 20:10.2; 10. Amy Arndt 20:51.1; 13. Heather Stiles, Heidi Bedsted 21:25.7; 21. Valori Schaffer 22:10.6; 36. Meredith Nordberg 24:20.9; 40. Pam Gundrum 24:45.4; 50. Rachel Darby 27:40.0

Men's Cross Country

September 2, 2000

MENOMONIE - UW-Stout's Dave Huber (So, Mendota Heights, Minn) separated himself from the pack and ran away with medalist honors at the Blue Devil Invitational Saturday, Sept. 2.

Coming out of the last hill with just more than 400 meters remaining, Huber had distanced himself and wasn't threatened. Huber clocked a time of 27-minutes, 28.8-seconds to win his first collegiate race.

Mike Western (Jr, Boyd) finished third (27:53.3), Josh Johnson (Sr, Oregon) fourth (28:08.8) and Seth Kaste (Sr, Cadott) fifth (28:21.2). The Blue Devils had little trouble winning the race, which included four teams, but two teams were incomplete.

Stout is off until Sept. 16 when they compete at the St. Olaf Invitational.

UW-Stout Blue Devil Invitational
1. UW-Stout 16; 2. St. Scholastica 47; Northwestern College, Mt. Senario incomplete teams

Individual results
(First place, all Stout finishers)
1. Dave Huber (Stout) 27:28.8; 3. Mike Western 27:53.2; 4. Josh Johnson 28:08.8; 5. Seth Kaste 28:21.2; 7. Jason Kirch 28:28.8; 8. Alex Anderson 28:32.8; 9. Ethan Webinger 28:46.1; 11. Casey Otto 29:02.2; 12. Reid Jacoby 29:09.1; 13. Jamie Block 29:15.4; 16. Todd Dexheimer 30:18.0; 18. Bill Britton 31:40.2; 23. Brad Barter 32:48.2; 25. Jonathon Gallo 33:49.7.

Men's Basketball

August 31, 2000

DOHAR, Qatar - When first year UW-Stout men's basketball coach Ed Andrist gets to campus, he will be bringing along another in a long line of hardware.

Andrist, who was named the Blue Devil head coach in August, coached the Qatar national team to the championship of the Asian Games, Wednesday, Aug. 30 in Dotar, Qatar. Andrist had won three national titles at Mount Senario.

Qatar, a definite underdog in the tournament, trailed Korea in the championship game by 16 points with nine minutes and by four with one minute remaining. Qatar knotted the game, then won going away, 89-75, in overtime. The night before in the semi-final game, Qatar defeated the Olympic-bound team from the People's Republic of China, 72-60. It was the second time in the tournament that Qatar, a tiny country of about a half million people located on the Arabian peninsula, had defeated China.

The championship was the first major tournament crown for Qatar and Andrist said there was much dancing in the street. With no alcoholic beverages allowed, Andrist said there was a Pepsi, tea and 7-Up party to celebrate. The win qualified the Qatar team to the World Cup in Japan in August, 2001.

Andrist was named the most valuable coach and one of his players, Yaseen Ismail, was named the most valuable player in the tournament. In the opening round robin portion of the tournament, Qatar defeated the Phillipines, Bahrain, China, Kuwait, Iran, India and Japan to finish the tournament with a perfect 9-0 record.

Andrist returned to Stout Tuesday, Sept. 5 to begin his duties at the University.

Updated: September 5, 2000