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Sports

Thursday, November 13, 1997

Marquez selected as 4-4A volleyball MVP

PECOS, Nov. 13 -- Pecos Eagles' senior Lori Marquez was selected as the
Most Valuable Player for the All-District 4-4A volleyball team, while
two other Eagles were named to the squad and two more received honorable
mention in voting by district coaches.

The team was chosen during Wednesday's coaches meeting, and Marquez was
named as the league's MVP even though the Eagles placed third, behind
Andrews and Big Spring in the 4-4A standings.

"I was surprised. I was expecting the kid from Andrews (Ali Bane) to get
it," said Eagles' coach Becky Granado. "The coaches went by statistics,
and Lori averaged eight kills per game, which was high in the district."

Marquez, who was a all-state selection last season, led the Eagles in
kills and blocks for the third straight year. "She's a good all-around
player on offense and defense. Principally, that was the advantage she
had over the other kids."

Marquez was joined on the first team by senior Marisol Arenivas as a
defensive specialist, while senior setter Annette Marquez was a second
team pick. Two other seniors, outside hitter Ivy Thorp and middle hitter
Gail Taylor, were the honorable mention choices by the 4-4A coaches.

"I felt Marisol would have a chance with her defense," Granado said,
while Marquez was the Eagles' main setter this season. "She had a lot of
assists setting up Lori, so that was good for her."

Taylor and Thorp were the Eagles' second and third-leading hitters this
season, as Pecos finished with a 17-12 record before falling to El Paso
High in the bi-district round of the playoffs. Andrews and Lake View
were ousted last week in Class 4A area round play.

Andrews' Bane, a junior, and senior Holly Fields were the Mustangs' two
first-team picks, while junior Erin Graham was Newcomer of the Year and
the Mustangs' Penny Bane was named Coach of the Year. Second place Lake
View had only one first team pick, sophomore hitter Hillary Lee, while
Big Spring senior hitter Krissy McWhorter, Fort Stockton junior hitter
Elisa Espino and Sweetwater junior blocker Vanessa Lehrmann were the
other first team picks.

Joining Annette Marquez on the second team were Andrews' Lindsey Hudgens
and Leesa Lopez, a senior hitter and junior setter; Lake View's Stacy
Bartz and Brittany Dendle, a senior blocker and junior setter; Fort
Stockton senior blocker/setter Ashlea Creech; and Big Spring senior
blocker Keesha Lott and senior setter Jessica Cobos.

The other honorable mention picks were Lake View junior hitter Amy
Rodriguez and senior setter Alma Ortiz; Fort Stockton senior hitter
Mandy Lujan; Big Spring senior blocker Honey Belew and Sweetwater setter
hitter/setter Kori Clemmens.

District football coaches also selected their 1997 4-4A team on
Wednesday in Big Spring, but that team will not be released until after
the three 4-4A teams in the playoffs, Sweetwater, Big Spring and
Andrews, are eliminated. Those teams play their first round games
against El Paso High, El Paso Ysleta and El Paso Riverside this Saturday.

Eagles host 14 teams in Pecos Invitational

PECOS, Nov. 13 -- The Pecos Eagles swimming team will be hosting a big
field of schools this weekend, when they host the annual Pecos
Invitational at the Pecos High School Natatorium.

Coach Terri Morse said 14 teams will be competing in the meet, with a
total of 286 swimmers entered in 632 events. That includes all of the
Eagles District 4 rivals with the exception of Abilene Wylie, but
Abilene High and Abilene Cooper will also make the trip, as well Odessa
High, Midland High, Midland Lee, Lubbock High, Lubbock Monterey and
Lubbock Coronado.

The meet will get underway at 6 p.m. Friday with diving finals, while
the swimming events start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. "We were going to do
it all on Saturday, but there were more divers than we were
anticipating, and that would have made the diving run over into the
swimming. so we moved it to Friday to speed things up a little," Morse
said.

The Eagles finished second on the boys' side and fourth on the girls
side three weeks ago in their last meet, at Abilene. Morse said the
Midland and Lubbock schools won't be sending full teams to Pecos, which
gives the Eagles a shot at the boys' team title.

"Big Spring will be tough. They look good on the boys and girls' sides,"
she said. "Abilene High's girls will probably win it, but Big Spring
will be right there.

"Our depth will help us against Big Spring, but on the boys' side we
don't have as much depth, and that may hurt us in the relays. But it
will even out at district because you can only run one relay per team,"
she added.

The Eagles are seeded first in only one relay, the boys' 200 medley, but
have several individual top seeds going into Saturday's meet. Matt Ivy
has the fastest time going into the 200 freestyle, Kevin Bates is seeded
first in the 100 free; Kenneth Friar is seeded first in the 500 free and
Al Tillman is top seeded going into the 100 breaststroke.

None of the girls are seeded first in their events, but Dionnie Munoz is
second-seeded in the 100 freestyle and Liz Parent is the same in the 500
free.

"I'm going to swim their differently (than at Abilene) to try and get as
many points as possible. Plus, we've got some of the football players
out for the first time, so I'm going to try and change things up there,"
Morse said.

The swimmers coming out after the end of football last week will mostly
compete on the `B' relay squads, though Morse said the Eagles may not
field `B' teams in all three relay events. "They'll swim the relays and
one of two individual events. It just depends," she said Tuesday. "I'll
probably end up scratching one relay. I don't know which one, but
probably the boys (200 `B') medley."

Eagles' scrimmage moved to today

PECOS, Nov. 13 -- The Pecos Eagles' boys basketball scrimmage in Crane,
which originally had been scheduled for Saturday, has been moved up to
tonight, Eagles' coach Mike Sadler said.

The Eagles will scrimmage the Golden Cranes, Monahans Loboes and Ozona
Lions, before opening their season next Tuesday at Monahans. However,
in-between, the Loboes' football team will face Midland Greenwood in
their bi-district playoff matchup, which Sadler said resulted in the
change.

"They had to move it up because their game is Saturday afternoon," said
Sadler, who'll be missing a few players of his own today in Crane.

The second-year coach will have 11 of his 13 players back from last
season, but several who just got out of football will miss the
scrimmage, as will senior forward Fabien Adame.

"Fabien has an eye problem, Jason (Abila)'s wrist is still hurting him,
plus I want to give him a little rest, and Moses (Martinez)'s leg is
still giving him problems, so I'm going to give him a couple more weeks
before he gets out," said Sadler, who added that guard Oscar Luna is
also bothered by a bruised knee from football.

Like his five football players (Hector Garcia and Orlando Matta are the
others), Sadler has also been out from the varsity football team for
only a couple of days. "It's hard for me to tell right now how we're
going to be," he said, while adding the Fernando Navarette and Frank
Perea have looked good so far in workouts.

After playing Monahans on Tuesday, the Eagles' home opener is set for
Nov. 21 against Stanton. However, like the Loboes, the Buffaloes are
still involved in the football playoffs, which could affect next
Friday's game.

Zampese put on defensive about offense

By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer
IRVING, Texas, Nov. 13 -- Ernie Zampese has gone from genius to goat in
this season of Dallas Cowboys discontent.

The radio talk shows most often blame the 61-year-old offensive
coordinator for the touchdown drought that has befallen the struggling,
5-5 team.

``We're the best team in the NFL between the 20-yard lines,'' said
running back Emmitt Smith. ``Inside the 20, we're the worst.''

Forget the fact that Zampese directed the offense to a Super Bowl
championship only two years ago. Critics say his play calling has grown
stale and the Cowboys have become the most predictable team in the NFL.

The Cowboys have had trouble scoring touchdowns for the last two years.
Their offense was rated 24th last year and is currently 19th. Dallas is
next to last in the NFL this year in red zone (inside the 20-yard line)
scoring.

``We've had some injuries in the offensive line and that hasn't
helped,'' Zampese said. ``But we can't dramatically change our offense.
We have good players. It's just a matter of executing the plays.''

The chain-smoking Zampese has been dogged by an alarming number of
penalties by the offense at critical times.

``We've had too many mentals down in scoring territory,'' said Dallas
coach Barry Switzer. ``That's really hurt us.''

Zampese put in some new twists for the Dallas offense in a 24-6 win over
Arizona. Dallas went with two tight ends and Troy Aikman spread the ball
around to eight different receivers.

``It makes us a better offense when we're able to do that,'' Aikman
said. ``We don't want to be predictable. We all know, more times than
not, when we throw, the ball has usually gone to Michael Irvin.''

Zampese even ordered a flea-flicker. However, the Cowboys couldn't pull
it off. Smith was in the game and took a handoff from Aikman and then
tossed the ball back to Aikman whose pass was incomplete. Sherman
Williams was supposed to be in the game, not Smith.

``I've got a bad hand,'' Smith said. ``I wasn't sure I could even toss
the ball back. That play didn't work so good.''

Aikman, for the first time this year, wore a wrist band with the plays
on it so he could get the plays called faster.

``I think it worked pretty good,'' Aikman said. ``We got out of the
huddle a little quicker.''

This week Zampese will be watching the Redskins running the offense he
taught their head coach, Norv Turner.

``Norv was an excellent student,'' Zampese said. ``He has a tremendous
offensive mind.''

Turner said anyone criticizing Zampese doesn't know anything about
football.

``I just know he's a heckuva coach,'' Turner said Wednesday from
Washington. ``If a team loses some games, then the guy calling the plays
is going to take some criticism. I know what it was like around here
after we lost two in a row.''

Griffey easily snares AL MVP award

SEATTLE, Nov. 13 (AP) -- It was a no-brainer, right? Nobody else had Ken
Griffey Jr.'s numbers in the American League last season.

He led in home runs with 56 and was tops in the majors in RBIs with 147.

The Gold Glove center fielder also led his league in runs scored (124),
total bases (393), slugging percentage (.646), extra base hits (93) and
intentional walks (23).

Still, Griffey wasn't sure if he was going to get his first Most
Valuable Player award on Wednesday. He saw what happened to Seattle
Mariners teammate Alex Rodriguez last year.

``I didn't really want to think about it,'' Griffey said. ``I've never
been in this situation where I was called the front runner. You know how
superstitious I am. When anybody wanted to talk about it, I said, `We'll
wait and see what happens.'''

He didn't have to worry. In fact, he became the league's ninth unanimous
MVP.

``Sure, I'm happy,'' he said. ``I'm still in a little bit of shock. I'm
still nervous. I really don't know what to say or how to react.''

Runner-up to Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox for the award in 1994
despite an AL-leading 40 homers, Griffey received the biggest honor of
his career a little more than a week shy of his 28th birthday.

Griffey, who will earn $7.75 million to play for the Mariners in 1998
and is contracted through 2000, is an eight-time All-Star.

``This award means a lot,'' he said. ``You always think about being the
MVP.''

It would have meant more if the Mariners would have made it to the World
Series, Griffey said. Unfortunately, Griffey didn't hit much (.138) and
the Baltimore Orioles eliminated Seattle in the playoffs, spoiling the
Mariners' second AL West title in three years.

``We fell a little short this year,'' he said. ``Hopefully, we'll get
back to the playoffs next year. My goal in baseball is to win the World
Series.''

In receiving all 28 first-place votes and 392 points in balloting by the
Baseball Writers Association of America, Griffey became the first
unanimous AL pick since Thomas in 1993, and the 13th unanimous selection
overall.

New York Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez was second with 24
second-place votes and four thirds for 248 points, followed by Thomas
(172 points) and Baltimore reliever Randy Myers (128).

Three of Griffey's teammates -- Randy Johnson (11th), Edgar Martinez
(14th) and Jay Buhner (19th) -- received votes.

Griffey became the Mariners' first AL MVP. A year ago, Seattle shortstop
Rodriguez was second after winning the batting championship, finishing
three points behind Juan Gonzalez of Texas. Griffey was fourth in last
year's voting.

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