Colored Rock Map of Texas at I-20 in Pecos Pecos Enterprise

Enterprise

ARCHIVES
Archives 62
Archives 74
Archives 87
Archives 95
Archives 96
Archives 97
Archives 98
1987 Tornado Photos
News Photos 1997
News Photos 1998

Area Newspapers
Advertising
Classified


|

Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Sports

Wedensday, April 22, 1998

Eagles eliminated by errors


By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Apr. 22 -- E is for Eagles.

And errors.

And eliminated.

It's too late for Pecos' seniors to learn that lesson, but
Eagles' coach Bubba Williams made the point clear to his
juniors and sophomores Tuesday evening, after they were
eliminated from the District 4-4A playoff race by the Big
Spring Steers.

"Mentally when Pecos decides they can play under pressure,
we'll compete, not just in baseball but in every sport,"
Williams told his team after their six-error, 4-2 loss to
the Big Spring Steers. "Until we do it mentally, we won't be
able to compete.

"The word around the district is Pecos can't play under
pressure, but it's all up here," Williams said, "We have got
to be able to play under pressure."

The Eagles barely survived a seven-error performance to stay
alive last Saturday, beating San Angelo Lake View, 6-5. But
on Tuesday, the Steers and pitcher James Darling weren't
anywhere near as generous as the Chiefs had been. Darling
used his slow curveball and sidearm delivery to strike out
eight batters, and the Steers allowed only one unearned run
on the day.

The Eagles, meanwhile, wasted a three-hit, 11 strikeout
effort by Jason Abila, who fell to 2-6 on the season. Abila
has given up 48 runs this year, but 32 of those runs were
unearned, including all four in Tuesday's loss.

"Jason did what he had to do, but we didn't make the plays,"
Williams said.

The second inning pretty much typified the Eagles' entire
season.

Abila alternated walks and strikeouts on the first four
batters of the inning, and was facing No. 9 hitter James
Clements when catcher Cisco Rodriguez tried to pick Marcus
Hyatt off second base. But his throw sailed past shortstop
Luis Salgado and second baseman Ricky Herrera and into
center field.

Hyatt broke for third, while Aaron Boadle headed for second,
as Oscar Luna fielded the ball just 50 feet behind the bag.
But instead of throwing to second for the easy inning-ending
out, Luna tried for Hyatt at third, hitting the fence next
to the Eagles' dugout on the fly.

The ball came right back to Richard Gutierrez, as Hyatt was
waved home by coach Bobby Doe, who was 20 feet down the line
from the coaching box and in Gutierrez' throwing path to
home plate. If Doe was hit with a throw home while outside
the box, Hyatt would have been called out on interference,
but Gutierrez opted to hold the ball, and the run scored.

Clements then blooped a ball into short center that Luna
tried and failed to make a diving catch on, with his dive
allowing Boadle to score from second base. Eric Hansen then
launched a deep fly to left that Joseph Contreras lost in
the sun at first, then saw the ball go off his glove for a
two-base error. Contreras was able to throw out Hansen at
third base on a close play, but not before Clements scored
for a 3-1 Steers lead.

Pecos had taken a 1-0 lead in their first at bat on an Abila
single, an error by Boadle at third, a Rodriguez walk and a
fielder's choice ground out by Contreras. They appeared
ready to score in the fourth and fifth innings, but couldn't
take advantage of a Contreras single and an error by Hyatt
on Salgado's fly ball in the fourth, and were on the wrong
end of a close play at third, as Abila was thrown out trying
to go from first to third on an infield hit by Luna.

Pecos finally got on the board in the sixth inning, but not
before giving up another unearned run in the bottom of the
fifth. Salgado booted Randy Legg's two out grounder which
scored Clements, who walked and moved to third on a
sacrifice bunt and passed ball by Rodriguez.

Contreras got Pecos it's final run, doubling to lead off the
sixth, then blocking Clements' view as he tried to field
John Gutierrez' ground ball to short. He booted it for an
error, and Contreras then scored on a double steal as
Salgado struck out, knocking the ball out of catcher Clayton
Pate's glove on his slide home.

But Darling came back to get Joshua Casillas on a grounder
to second, then fanned Lucio Florez to end the sixth, and
did the same to Abila and Luna to start the seventh, before
Richard Gutierrez got Pecos' fifth and final hit of the day,
a single to center. That got the tying run to the plate, but
Rodriguez ended up bouncing the ball to Boadle, who threw
him out to end the game.

The loss not only clinched the playoff spot for Big Spring,
it also did for San Angelo Lake View, 9-3 losers at Andrews.
The Steers are 6-3 in district, the Chiefs 5-4 and the
Eagles are 3-6 with a game to play.

The Eagles and Fort Stockton will now battle for fourth in
the final 4-4A standings on Friday, when the teams meet in a
7:30 p.m. start. Fort Stockton is also 3-6 after their 6-2
win Tuesday over Sweetwater.

Alvarez earns regionals as Pecos girls take third


PECOS, Apr. 22 -- A rule change worked in favor of Pecos
Eagles golfer Alva Alvarez on Saturday in Sweetwater, as it
allowed her to earn a berth in the Region I-4A golf
tournament next week in San Angelo.

The Eagles tied Fort Stockton for third in the team
standings with a 54-hole score of 1059 after the final round
of the 54-hole District 4-4A tournament. Both squads shot
351 on Saturday, while Big Spring won first place with a
1011 total after a round of 324. Andrews earned the second
regional berth, with a 1037 score after a final round of
344.

The Steers also had the top three individual finishers in
the tournament, which in past years would have kept any
other players out of regionals. But under the new rules this
year, players who finished in the Top 6 and were not on
either Big Spring's or Andrews' squads also would advance to
regional.

"Alva's going to regional as medalist with Fort Stockton's
Ashley Davies, and Sarah (Armstrong) finished eighth and
made all-district," said Eagles' coach Tina Hendrick. "Alva
will go to San Angelo on Sunday and play a practice round,
and then will play on Monday and Tuesday," at the Riverside
Golf Course.

Alvarez shot an 83 to finish in fourth place with a 254
score, while Armstrong also had an 83 Saturday and ended up
at 258. Hendrick said Kim Clark was 12th in the final
standings with a 264 after shooting an 86, while Amanda
Stickels shot a 101 and wound up at 286 and Amanda Hernandez
had a 99 and finished at 295 for 54 holes.

"We held our ground and finished third, and I was real proud
of how the girls did," said Hendrick.

Pecos' `B' team ended up ninth with a 1244 score, after
shooting 414 in Sweetwater. Candace Roach shot a 94 and had
the overall low score for the `B' team, a 294, and was
followed by Cindy Mauldin at 99-299; Brandi Bradley at
102-322; and Lyndell Elkins, at 115-363. Salem Mitchell
competed separately for Pecos, and shot a 136.

Fort Stockton's `B' team was fifth overall, with a 370-1165
score, and were followed by Sweetwater, at 370-1165; Andrews
`B' at 395-1172 and Sweetwater B at 396-1246; while the
Eagles were trailed by San Angelo Lake View, at 445-1285.

Junior high girls third, boys fifth after openers


PECOS, Apr. 22 -- The junior high golf season started this
past weekend for the Crockett and Zavala Eagles, with the
girls placing second on Friday in the first round of their
four-week tournament at the Reeves County Golf Course, while
the boys finished fifth after their first 18 holes of their
tournament, on Saturday in Kermit.

Andrews shot a 191 over nine holes to take the lead in the
girls' division, followed by the Eagles at 215 and, Monahans
at 221. Andrews `B' was next with a 232 score, followed by
the Eagles' `B' team at 253, Fort Stockton `A' and `B' at
270 and 276 and Pecos' `C' team at 284. Kermit did not field
a girls' squad.

"I've only got two eighth graders, and ail of Andrews' team
is in eighth grader, so we did real well," said Eagles coach
Robin Land.

Seventh grader Taryn McNeil shot a 46 to place second in the
individual medalist race, one stroke behind Andrews' Ashley
Robb, while Candace Holland's 51 score tied her for fifth
place in the standings. Dana Dutchover shot a 58, Lauren
Martinez had a 60 and Cassie Foster a 61 for the Eagles'
other `A' team scores.

The `B' team was led by Kattie Davis with a 61, followed by
Amanda Armstrong at 63, Kristian Aguilar at 64, Brandi North
at 65 and Kelsey Riley at 66. Rebecca Reynolds led the `C'
team with a 65, and was followed by Donna Warren at 72,
Hanna Paz at 73 and Lara Weinacht at 74.

Up in Kermit, the boys shot a 407 in their first round of
play, to trail Andrews' `A' and `B' teams, at 349 and 361,
Monahans at 367 and Fort Stockton at 406. Fort Stockton `B'
was next at 431, five strokes in front of the Eagles' `B'
team, and Kermit was ninth, with a 488 score.

Austin Alvarez led the `A' team with a 94 score, while Jae
Ewing shot a 97; David Elkins a 105, Chance Laurence a 111
and Trey Perkins a 112. The `B' team's Clayton Cox had
Pecos' overall low score for the day, a 92, and was followed
by Jack Stickels at 110, Travis Thorp at 116, David Bradley
at 118 and Trey Edwards at 126.

The boys and girls will be playing on the same course for
the final three weeks of their area tournament, with the
second round set for this Saturday in Fort Stockton.

White sacks retirement plan after two days


GREEN BAY, Wis., Apr. 22 (AP) -- In less than 48 hours,
Reggie White went from nevermore to never mind.

Just two days after announcing his retirement from pro
football, the NFL's career sacks leader changed his mind
Tuesday and said he would play for the Green Bay Packers
next season.

White, who helped the Packers to two consecutive Super Bowl
appearances, including the team's 35-21 victory over New
England in 1997, had planned a farewell news conference in
Green Bay today.

Instead, he will use the opportunity to explain his decision
to return to the Packers for a sixth season.

``I have re-evaluated my decision,'' White said in a
statement released by the Packers on Tuesday. ``I decided I
would not retire and that I would play one more year.''

After the draft ended Sunday, coach Mike Holmgren said the
36-year-old defensive end told him that he was retiring
because of the bad back that troubled him for most of last
season.

He first hurt his back lifting weights in June, and a
bulging disk flared on him during the season, limiting his
practices and playing time and robbing him of the skills he
needed for his ``club'' move he employed to pick up and toss
aside 320-pound guards.

According to CNN-Sports Illustrated, White, an ordained
Baptist minister, was getting his back worked on Monday
when, ``the Lord spoke to him and told him that he had to be
a man of his word and play one more season for the
Packers.''

White did not return telephone messages left on his
answering machine by The Associated Press.

A team spokesman said general manager Ron Wolf, coach Mike
Holmgren and team president Bob Harlan would have nothing to
say about White's change of heart until after the news
conference.

Packer fans rejoiced at White's change of heart.

``Wonderful. What can be better? He's the greatest,'' Louis
Gardipee of Green Bay said. ``If he says he's healthy enough
to play, he is. He's got the good Lord on his side.''

White first told Holmgren on his intention to retire shortly
after the Packers were upset by the Denver Broncos in the
Super Bowl. But Holmgren tried to talk him out of it,
offering him a part-time role as a designated pass rusher.

White met with Holmgren about two weeks ago, and again
Holmgren tried to talk him out of retiring: ``I was kind of
buying some time because Reggie has been known to change his
mind before,'' Holmgren said Sunday.

But White said it was time to call it a career.

And so it seemed that the Packers and the NFL had lost the
man many consider the best defensive end ever to play the
game.

Packers safety LeRoy Butler responded with wishful thinking:
hoping White would do like Gary Zimmerman, the Denver
Broncos tackle who came out of retirement last year.

And sure enough, White did.

White's reconsideration has nothing to do with saving the
Packers' money by delaying a final decision. Regardless of
White's retirement announcement, Wolf said the Packers would
manipulate his roster designation until June 1 so that they
could count less of his signing bonus against the cap this
season.

White will earn $2.6 million this season.

White had 11 sacks last year, giving him 176½ for his
13-year career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for a record
12th consecutive time despite the back problems that limited
him to part-time duty.

A member of the NFL's 75th anniversary team, White joined
the Packers in 1993 for four years and $17 million after
eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, and
single-handedly erased the notion that Green Bay was a city
where black players didn't want to live and where the team
could no longer compete.

White was criticized for a speech to Wisconsin lawmakers
last month in which he used cultural stereotypes and
denounced homosexuality as a sin. He later apologized for
any harm his remarks caused.

White has missed only four games in his career. He endured a
hyperextended elbow in 1994 and a torn hamstring in 1995,
both of which he said God had healed, allowing him to make
miraculous returns to the football field.




Search Entire Site:


Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.

324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net

Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.

Copyright 1998 by Pecos Enterprise