Grapplers stormed in Michigan;
must regroup for Invitational -
By DAVE MORRIS
Assistant Sports Editor
The Penn State wrestlers battled
the weather Sunday night and most of
Monday trying to get to Michigan in
time for the first meet of the season
against
The
State Monday
night. The battle was useless.
Bill Koll's grapplers got there,
alright, but then MSU snowed under
the Lions, 27-16. The storm continued'
Tuesday when Michigan tripped the
inatmen 19-12.
So for the First time in several years
Penn State will start the home season
with an 0-2 log, not very appropriate
for the nation's seventh best team.
"We, feel lucky to be here," Koll
said when he arrived back in State
College. The matmen, making the
trip in three cars, got stranded
Sunday.night and spent their time on
the floors of off-the-road restaurants
and hotels.
"I'm not trying to alibi but it had to
have some effect on them," Koll said.
"This is the youngest team I've had
since I've been here (11 years). I
don't think a colple of beatings
No. 1 Sooners keeping
Oklahoma has put in its
final bid for college football's
national championship, but
the Sooners will have to wait
for a month to see if it stands
up.
Oklahoma completed an 11-
0 season Saturday by routing
Oklahoma State 44-13. That
was good enough to earn the
Sooners 49 first-place votes
and 1,198 of, a possible 1,230
points in The Associated
Press final regular-season
poll of sports writers and
broadcasters.
Speed ousts power
Lion capers take
By RICK STARR
Collegian Sports Writer
The "hinge
. ! ,,ear" that Penn State was going to have in
basketball last season never really got swinging. Despite Lion
coach John Bach's efforts to "kick open the door," Penn State
pulled in at the end of that campaign with a disappointing 14-12
mark. The door hadn't budged.
_,A16..
Randy Meister
goals'
against Michigan and Michigan State
will hurt us."
Koll is looking. forward to the
season, especially the upcoming Penn
State Invitational this weekend at
Rec Hall. The tourney will feature
eight teams, including defending
national champion Oklahom4. Other
teams are Purdue, Clarion State,
Slippery Rock, Wilkes, Lock; Haven,
and Bloomsburg State.
The Lion boss said his charges
would be ready for the opening round
Friday night.
"Give us two good nights' sleep and
I feel we'll bounce right back," he
quipped.
Here is a look at the lineup Koll will
use in the tournament:
118—Wayne Packer is one of the
few grapplers who looked good in the
Michigan blizzard. A junior, Packer
returns after "retiring" lasti season.
After the first two meets, the light
weight is 1-0-1.
126—Junior John Fritz, a two-time
third place finisher in the nationals
has a good shot at the tourney title—if
he can bounce back from early set
backs.
It was the fourth straight
week the Sooners love, been
No. 1. Coach Barry' Switzer's
troops are ineligible for bowl
competition because of
recruiting indiscretions and
will have to await the final AP
poll Jan. 2 before claiming the
national title.
Alabama, 11-0, appears to
be the only other team with a
shot at the championship. The
Crimson Tide wound up the
regular campaign with a 17-13
triumph over Auburn Friday.
They continued No. 2 in the
Photo by Eric Polack
he has other goals, academic
"John isn't shooting at all," Koll
said. "He looked like a walking
zombie. He just went out and made
his moves like a machine."
Fritz, known for his takedown
ability, drew with, Spartan national
champ Pat Milkovich Monday and
lost 5-4 to Michigan's Jim Brown.
134—Freshman Jimmy Earl is 0-2
so far but Koll has high hopes for the
rookie.
142—Dennis Sciabica (jr.) beat out
the Nittany Lion (Bob Welsh) for this
spot. Sciabica is effective if he can
work the figure four.
150—Last year Koll said Al Fisher
would getbetter with experience. The
sophomore was pinned against the
Spartans and lost again Tuesday.
Meanwhile Koll is•waiting.
158—Freshman Dave Becker, a
PIAA champ from Selinsgrove has
been a pleasant surprise for Koll and
his assistant, Andy Matter.lln his first
two varsity coritests, Becker has
pulled out two last-minute wins.
"In time he's going to become a
real good wrestler," Koll said.
167—Jerry Villecco finished fourth
in the nationals last year and Koll
AP poll with 12 first-place
billols and 1,112 points.
Alabama will have one last
change to establish its
atitional championship
creddntials New Year's night
when' it faces Mitre Dame in
the Orange Bowl.
Ohio State, 10-1, held onto
third place with 982 points,
and Michigan remained
fourth with 828. The Buckeyes
have. a Rose Bowl date with
Southern California on Jan. 1.
"The Trojans, 9-1-1, tuned up
for the Rose Bowl with an
running start
Saturday Penn State takes off the scrimmage jerseys and
starts playing for keeps at "the Steel Bowl Tournament in
Pittsburgh. The opponent is Oregon, a team that beat UCLA
last year.
After three straight winning seasons and no tournament
berths Bach and the Lions will again be trying to kick the
door open on Penn State basketball. But this year they will
take a running start at it.
"I think43,rerall we have more speed on the floor," Bach
said. "Ron grown and Jon Marshall were big men with power
while they were here, but speed was not their forte. But we
will miss their combined power and the brilliance of Ron
Brown.
"We're aware of what we lack," Bach continued, "but we've
worked damn hard. This is the hardest working team I've ever
had here. •
"There's a nice feeling surrounding this team, a good
athletic feeling. It's a good start. We have that feeling we're
more of a team. We have more of that interdependence of one
upon the other."
The biggest prospect on the roster is the return of Randy
Meister for his senior year. "A good deal of our hopes rest on
his shoulders," Bach said of his 6-9 1 / 2 center.
Meister was hampered most of last season by a bone chip
the size of a dime that was removed from his left foot in the off
season. Physically, Meister is ready. %ccording to Bach, the
rest is up to Meister.
`,'As I have paid in the past," Bach reiterated, "Meister is as
good as he wants to be. He's a good tall center, a good athlete.
He could be the best center in the East. But Randy has other
gopls, academic goals, and that's part of our program here.
He has other things on his mind. He's not looking for a career
in the pros.
Vile has had problems with his foot," Bach pointed out.
"But that seems not to bother him now, he's executing better.
"Last year Meister had about 10 points and 10 rebounds a
game. That's about what your average big college center gets.
A great center might get 20 points and 15 rebounds, and an
All-America, all-time great might get 20 and 20. Now is
Meister a 10 and 10 center, or a 10 and 15, or a 20 and 15? I don't
know. As a coaching philosophy, I say your reach should
alivays exceed your grasp ... Meister will go as far as he feels
hell I go."
Lions reeeally came alive
PITTSBURGH There conies a time in every
one's life when you just have to sit back and admit
that you were wrong. A time when you push, all those
alibis aside and look at the facts squarely.
You probably never thought Penn State would rip
Pitt 31-10 did you? Never thought, you'd see Joe
Paterno employing a passing attack on national
television, huh?
Thanksgiving night. Three Rivers Stadium. The
Burgh, obviously. It made all those disbelievers, in
cluding this writer, into believers. Believers in Penn
State deserving a Cotton Bowl bid afterall.
_Believers in Paterno's ability to get those 60-some
"guys psyched up.
So psyched, you actually wondered if that was the
same Penn State team that had died against North
Carolina State and rode a season long roller coaster.
Yep, 'you were wrong about that team it did in
deed have an offense.
And that offense was shining almost as brightly
as those yellow blazers ABC-TV people were
sporting. Sure, it took some time to unravel. Pater
no threw off his coat, standing on the sidelines in a
chilling wind wearing only his tan sweater. It didn't
take the Lion's offense that long to get it together
once Joe threw ott tus coat.
Strange sight it was. There on the artificial turf
was Chris Bahr kicking four field goals a Penn
State record.
Bahr kicks four field goalg. It made you reflect for
a moment. Wasn't this the same young man who
MISSED four field goals in a loss to Navy and was
benched for some time?
There was Jim Eaise fumbling two punts
resulting in turnovers then turning himself com-
Buddy Tesner (30) picks off a Bob
Medwid pass while Mike Hartenstine
(79) goes the other way
impressive 55-24 thumping of
Notre Dame. That was good
enough to move them up one
position to No. 5.
Auburn, 9-2, advanced from
seventh to sixth despite losing
to Alabama, and Penn State,
9-2, jumped from 10th to
seventh after whipping Pitt
31-10.
Nebraska, 8-3, is eighth,
Notre Dame, 9-2, is ninth and
Maryland, 8-3, is 10th.
Rounding out the top 20
are Texas, Baylor, North
thinks he'll still get better. Jerry is 2-
0, with a fall against MSU. In the
Penn State tourney last fall, Villecco
lost in the finals to Clarion's Wade
Schalles..
177—Senior Dan Brenneman had a
good year last season but he's off to a
mediocre start. So far he has lost a
superior decision and won an 8-6
squeaker.
190—Last season Jerry White was
the freshman sensation of the East.
White won the 177 title in the In
vitational and finished the regular
season with only one loss. This season
White has put himself in the race for
the sophomore jinx. He's 0-2, in
cluding a 19-6 loss in the MSU meet.
HWT.—Lion Rich Boehmer is only
marking time until Brad Benson
returns from the Cotton Bowl and has
to be considered a longshot here.
The first round of Abe tourney will
begin tomorrow at 13 p.m. The semis
are Saturday at 2 p.m. and the finals
are slated for 7 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets for the event are on sale at
the Rec Hall ticket office. Series
tickets (all three events) are three
bucks for students, six for adults.
watch
Carolina State, Michigan
State, Miami of Ohio, Texas
A&M, Brigham Young,
Florida, Arizona, and Pitt
and Wisconsin, tied for 20th.
The Top Twenty teams in The Associa
ted Press college football poll,. with
first-place votes in parentheses, season
records and total points tabulated on
basis of 2018-16-14-1210-9-8 etc
1 Oklahoma (49, 11-0-0 1,198
2. Alabama (12) 11-0-0 1,112
3 Ohio State 10-1-0 982
4 Michigan 10-1-0 828
5. So Calif 9-1-1 781
6. Auburn 9-2-0 544
7. Penn State 9-2.0 502
8 NebraskA 8-3-0 500
9. Notre Dame 9-2-0 369
10. Maryland 8-3-0 258
11. Texas 8-3-0 254
12. Baylor 8-3-0 239
13. No. Car. St 9-2-0 229
14. Michigan St. 7-3-1 197
15. Miami, O. 9-0-1 154
16. Texas A&M 8-3-0 79
17 Brigham Young ,7-3-1 31
18. Florida 8-3-0 28
19 Arizona 9-2-0 20
20 Pitt 7-441 18
( tie) Wisconsin 7-4-0 18
Others receiving votes, listed alpha
betically Boston College. Clemson
Harvard, Houston. Mississippi St
North Carolina, Oklahoma St , Temple
Tennessee. Tulsa. UCLA, Utah St.
Bach concedes the forwards will be the team's vulnerable
spot, and has moved 6-4 guard Kevin Burke up front where he
will start in Pittsburgh this weekend alongside Dave
Angstadt, a 6-8 junior.
"Angstadt is running better,". Bach pointed out, "but he
needs to get in games. He'll give you everything he's got.
Burke is a little undersized, so he'll have to do with technique
what others do with power. And he contributes leadership."
The depth at forward is also a chief concern of Bach's.
Keenan Preston, a 6-3 senior, was also moved forward this
year and will add quickness and ball handling ability, and 6-5
junior Bill Botts has been the "surprise of the training
period," although he has no playing time.
At guard Tommy Doaty ha stabilized one of the two jobs,
with Jim Ouderkirk the apparent heir to the second.
"Doaty has good speed and is starting to use it," Bach said.
"Ouderkirk is the guy that was our best shooter most of last
season. He's wiser now, he knows his role better. Jeff Miller is
a good freshman and I hope we don't bring him along too fast,
but the Rec Hall fans will see him this year. Kevin Cadle helps
us with his defense and his team concept."
At the moment, everything-is set for this weekend's tip off,
with the exception of Chris Erichsen who has not practiced
with the team recently due to academic concerns. As Bach
admits, Erichsen could help the forward situation.
"He seemed very promising," Bach said. "But he has to
come 'out, and establish himself first academically, then
athletically. '
Bach summed up his expectations this way: "We'll score
more this year, but that means we'll give up
,the ball more.
Pointwise, our defense may not be as good, but.we'll play with
a different tempo this year this will please a lot of people, of
which I may be the most pleased of all."
is Tim
Panaccio
Ass't Sports
Editor
pletely around, hauling in two Tom Shuman passes
for touchdowns.
_
"After Eaise's second fumble," said Paterno
later, "I said, 'Hey Jim, what's the matter?' I
looked him right in the eye. He said he was okay.
"I told someone the other day that the biggest
thing about this club is 'that it has poise. It comes
back. Jim proved that."
There was fullback Torn Donchez and Jim Cefalo,
the most celebrated freshman running back in the
country, churning up the yardage, blasting through
one hole right after another and making Johnny
Majors wish he'd stayed bpme that night.
Donchez, playing in his last regular season game
as a Lion, racked up 86 yards while Cefalo was
nearly equal to his task with 76.
But perhaps the most noticeable delight
Thanksgiving night was Tom Shuman, the guy who
spent most of his time at Penn State handing foot
ball's off to other guys and occasionally letting one
slip into the air every so many third downs.
Shuman knew he could throw on the Panther
defense. He suggested throwing to Paterno. Joe took
the hint and decided to let Tom do some playmaking
for a change.
The result was a brilliant Shuman evening of 9-17
passing for 165. yards. Now when was the last time
you saw a Shuman performance labeled as
"brilliant" in this or any other newspaper?
Football needing
political deflation
It's unfortunate that the name slips the
mind, but it wasn't too long ago that some
observant individual likened football, one of
man's most popular pastimes, to war,
another old favorite. You dig in on one side,
the enemy is entrenched across from you.
Between you is no man's land, and you
struggle to take that ground. With every
tiny strip of ground you take, you're a step
closer to victory.
Nearby, but far enough away that the war
does not ring in their ears, are the decision
makers and the observers the generals
and the press. It's the generals that decide
upon the point and the force of the next
offensive, while the press must be aware of
each movement
Perhaps it is this metaphor of combat
each man fights his battle, the army fights
its battle
,and every battle until the war's
end that has brought the following, the
constant attention, to football. But because
football ia football and not war, this at
tention and following may be leading the
game onto what more and more resembles a
mine field.
See; those decision-makers and ob
servers, along with some other people.
aren't really out there in the pits. So it's
tough for them to get a good look at who's
cleaning up on the enemy.
Case in point: The 1974 Heilman Trophy,
which was recently presented to Ohio
State's running wizard Archie Griffin in a
landslide vote 1,100 better than runnerup
Anthony Davis of USC.
Now there's really no point in debating
who's the better player. Satistically, Griffin
substantially outran Davis (236 carries for
1620 yards to A. D.'s 288 for 1354). But Davis
was put to more effective use as a reciever
and a kickoff returner.
Another idea being hassled about is the
seniority of Davis, which therefore rates
him in some circles as more deserving than
Johnny Majors was rather upset after that game.
His players wale equally shaken. Pitt had failed to
give Penn Sta a good football game. Instead, it
allowed itself fate beaten badly.
Its offensive line let Greg Murphy and Mike Har
tenstine become permanent fixtures across the line
of scrimmage_Hartenstine and Murph' acted like a
couple of Doberman Pinschers protecting the
jewelry shop.
Of course there were some strange things. A fum
ble by Pitt's Allen Webster was recovered by Lion
defensive end Tom Williams in the endzone for a
touchdown the second time this year a Penn State
player recovered a loose ball for a TD in the end
zone.
Gary Burley, one of Majors' "Monster
Linebackers" was upset about that fumble. "It
knocked a lot of morale out of everyone," said
Burley.
"They (Penn State) get more breaks than anyone
I have ever seen." •
True, it was a big break for Penn State. But the
Lions won this game on sheer' determination and
execution. The "breaks" were inconsequential.
Overall, there were a lot of emotions at Three
Rivers. Every hit, tackle, run and pass had
something onto it.
"This team has played to more potential than any
other team we've had and I think it's great we're 8-2
with the type of team we've had," said Paterno after
the Ohio win.
"It bothers me to have to make excuses for a team
like this. I think our fans are spoiled. They expected
more and I think they took away some things we've
done.
"Listen, I told people it wouldn't be like last year.
I told people it would be up and down and scratch all
the way —that's just what we did."
All the way. Up and down. Scratch and claw. Inch
by inch. Right into Dallas for the Cotton Bowl
matchup with Baylor.
),,
h. A ib
junior Griffin. However, while this is not a
frequent occurrence in Heisma'n voting,
Griffin is by no means the first junior to win.
Doc Blanchard, Doak Walker, Vic Janowicz
and Roger Staubach came before him.
But we're wandering in no man's land. In
order to really gain some ground, the
situations that keep happening must
somehow be discontinued. Like the one
whereby (as stated in AP and UPI stories)
most of the Heisman ballots were entered
before this past Saturday, when Davis
scored four times against Notre Dame.
It's essentially a problem of politics, and
it easily applies to what is now a long
discus§ed system of determining a national
collegeamp. Too much voting, par
ticularly)y the wrong people. At this point,
the question has got to be the qualifications
of the observers to be anything more than
observers and reporters. They may function
very effectively as they were originally
intended, but can anyone really have a
better conception of what's happening in
those pits than the soldiers themselves?
When writers ask if Davis will try to prove
he's the better man in the Rose Bowl, while
Davis is sending Griffin a letter of
congratulations, and Griffin answers with
"no, he's got too much class for that sort of
thing, - v, we should all wonder who really
knows the positions on the football field.
Jim Ouderkirk
Jeff Young
Sports Editor
~►~
~~.
Photo by Erie Fitlack
'our best shooter last year'