• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1986-10-02_Vol52_No10_11

Sports The Western Carolinian 1 Thursday, October 2, 1986 Cats Beat Newberry, 34 to 24 by Chris Geis Sports Editor The Western Carolina Catamounts finally put themselves into the 1986 victory column Saturday night, defeating Newberry, 34-24, in a nonconference game in front of 10,235 at Whitmire Stadium. The Catamounts jumped out to a 27-10 lead after the first half of play, and then played sluggishly the rest of the way against the NAIA's Indians, who were the only team to hand Furman a regular- season loss last season. Western improved to 1-2 on the year, and will travel to Auburn, Ala., this week to take on the Auburn Tigers, the eighth-ranked Division l-A team in the country. Newberry dropped to 1-2 with the loss. "It wasn't a pretty one, but it was a good football game," Western coach Bob Waters said. "We certainly played well defensively. We didn't play as well offensively in the second half as we did in the first half, but we did some good things overall." A couple of seniors- quarterback Willie Perkins and running back Milton Beck- carried the Catamounts in the first half. Beck rushed for two touchdowns and had 11 rushesfor 66 yards in the first half, while Perkins completed 9 of 17 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown. Beck scorea on a six-yara run on the Cata mounts' first possession of the game, completing a 10-play, 77-yard drive, and he scored on a two-yard run late in the second quarter to give Western a 24-7 lead. He left the game following the secona touchdown, however, after reinjuring hisleftankle. Perkins had a seven-yara scoring pass to tight end Alonzo Carmichael at 10:16 in the second. Junior kicker Kirk Roach also dia his part in the Cats' first-half domination. He hit a 32-yard field goal with 1:04 left in the first quarter and kicked a 52-yaraerastime ran out in the half to give the Cats a 27- 10 advantage. Roach also extended his streak of consecutive extra points to 51. Overall, the Cats ran up 267 yards of total offense in the first half and they scored on five of their six possessions. The Cats went flat the rest of the way, however, finishing the night with 339 yards (compared to Newberry's 323) and scoring only after safety Charles Harrison intercepted the second of his two passes and returned it to the Newberry 11-yard line midway through the third quarter. "We didn't make the big catches in the second half that we did in the first half, " Waters said. Carmichael (65 yards in receptions) and split end Vincent Nowell (86 yards) each had five catches, but both had only one in the second half. The defense played poorly in the second half, according to Waters, and it showed. Newberry running back Pete Bember Picked up a game-high 144 yards and scored one of two second-half Indian touchdowns. Inside linebackers Larry Inman and Billy Shephard had six tackles each, and Harrison had ten tackles in addition to the two interceptions. Cornerback Red Davis also had an interception, and broke up two passes. They were the bright spots. After Beck left midway through the second quarter with his injury, reserve tailback Otis Washington rushed 14 times for 66 yards. "We are still making young folks' mistakes," Waters said, especially with the penalties, but we think we are going to get better." On his quarterback, Waters said: "The quarterback always stands out, either good or bad, and tonight Willie looked pretty good " Perkins now has six touchdown passes this season- one more than in all of fast year. The Cats return home Oct 11 with a conference game against East Tennessee State, and travel to Furman, the national runner-up in Division l-AA last year, for a game Oct. 18. Nightmares For Catamount Football Fans One look at the 1986 Western Carolina football schedule gives Catamount football fans nightmares. Before the season started, it was a foregone conclusion that the Catamounts would be no better that 8-3. And that wasn't even taking into consideration games with Southern Conference teams like Furman and Appalachian State. The reason for this realistic negativism was the presence of these three names on the Catamounts' schedule: South Carolina, Aubum and North Carolina State. All are Division l-A schools whose football programs have more depth, more talent, and more money than Western's, and all are teams that schedule Western out of courtesy and a respect for its program in Divison l-AA. But all expect to be in the victory column after they play the Catamounts. Why are there so many powerful teams on the Catamounts' schedule? Playing in the Southern Conference, fans realize, is tough enough without addng three quick losses to your record. "Well, certainly there are the advantages and the disadvantages," say Western Carolina coach Bob Waters," and there are two main reasons why we schedule teams like Auburn and South Carolina. "One of them is that finacially, it's worthwhile. And otherwise, ti's good for our program, good for the kids, good for recruiting. Unfortunately, Saturday comes and we have to play at Auburn. But it's fun and exciting, and the payoff is a big help." Although the Catamounts don't expect a miracle when they take on the Auburn Tigers in Auburn, Ala., this Saturday, they still relish thethought of being able to take on the nation's eighth-ranked team in front of what could be a crowd of 72,000 or more. And while Waters knows that every Auburn game on his schedule hurts his chances of making the national l-AA playoffs or winning eight of nine games, he realizes the importance of such games to the athletic department's bank account. The Catamount sports program might be as much as $150,000 richer when it returns SaturOay night, and that will allow such sports as track, golf and volleyball to exist next year. Games with South Carolina and N.C. State, whose stadiums seat 60,000 or more fans, also bring in similiar figures. "Without this game against Auburn, we'd be in some trouble here in the athletic department," one official said. "We just don't have the money that these other schools have, and we need these games." But should the Catamounts be playing three games against big-time schools like it is this year all the time? "No, three is too much," Waters said "It's fun and exciting, and every Division l-AA school needs games against the big schools each year, but three is too many. Two is O.K., and that's what we've generally had over the years." Last year the Catamounts played at Georgia Tech (and nearly won, falling only 24-17) and at Florida State. In 1984, they played at Boston College. Next year they'll open at South Carolina and Clemson, and in 1988 it will be Clemson and Georgia Tech. The Tigers, at No. 8 in last week's Associated Press poll, are the highest ranked team Western has ever faced. Waters only agreed to schedule them two years ago because he thought: "Bo Jackson would be gone and they just might be rebuilding. I was half right. Bo is gone, but they are not rebuilding. No one' in his right mind would attempt to argue with me when I say this Auburn team is the best football team we have ever faced." But Waters says his team won't back down. "We could be intimidated, crawl into their stadium, go through the motions, get our check, and crawl back home. That is not the way we are going to do it. This team will enter this game like any other, thinking it can win it it plays hard and executes. We've got too much pride to think otherwise." Future Western teams will probably have the same attitude under Waters, ana it mayeven lead to moments like the one last year in Atlanta, when the Cats lead Georgia Tech in the fourth quarter, or this year in Columbia, S.C. when they had South Carolina up 17-14 late in the first half. And it will certainly help recruiting, as it has especially the last two years, according to Waters. Fortunately, however, it's a Catch-22 situation that Western Carolina will deal with more reasonably in future years. Pictured left to right are: Graduate Assistant Coach Mark Buffamoyer, ex-Western football player and Kappa Alpha alumni, center coach Bob Waters, and Kappa Alpha brother Rich lobst. The Kappa Alpha order presented Coach Bob Waters with the Scott Thompson Award Friday afternoon preceding the Catamounts' Mountain Heritage Day contest against Newberry. The award was named for deceased Kappa Alpha brother Scott Thompson, who died in 1972. Thompson, a man of excellent scholarship, (he was a 4.0 student), exemplified qualities such as high moral character and dignity. Waters, who has been here in Cullowhee since 1969, not only has produced some of the best football teams in the country, but also served as an excellent role- model for his players, the university and the community. The reception of the award by Coach Waters is definitely regarded as an honor to the order. The KA's wish Coach Waters and the Cats the best of luck the remainder of the season, and thank the coach for his positive influences throughout the community. Volleyball News Western Carolina University's volleyball team bounced back from a mini-losing streak to win three of its four matches last week. After winning their first three matches of the 1986 season, the Lady Cats dropped three straight matches at the Wolfpack Invitational before returning to their winning ways last week. Coach Trish Howell's team downed Furman last Tuesday evening in Reid Gymnasium, lost to Clemson on the road Wednesday evening, and defeated Davidson and Marshall Saturday at home. The Lady Cats, now 6-4 on the season, will be on the road for three matches this week-at Georgia Tech Tuesday evening, Tennessee Tech Friday evening, and at UT-Chattanooga Saturday. Howell was encouraged with her team's effort in Saturday's wins over Davidson and Marshall. "We came back from the disappointing loss to Clemson with a couple of oustanding team efforts. I think we are close to putting it all together," she said. The Lady Cats defeated Furman in four games by scores of 15-16,4-15,15-9,15-12. They came back from losses in the first two games at Clemson to tie the match, but lost the fifth game and the match before a large, vocal crowd at Jervey Center. The wins over Davidson and Marshall were accomplished in straight games. Some of the individual highlights of last week's action were provided by Crystal Sullivan and Donna Smith, a pair of all-Southern Conference performers. Sullivan recorded 30 kills in the match at Clemson, an eye-opening average of six per game. Smith, according to Howell, is developing into an outstanding setter. "Donna improves with each match as she is making good decisons and able to run tough offenses that are going to make out attack more difficult to stop," she said. LAST YEAR WE GRADUATED MORE STUDENTS THAN ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE NCAA COMBINED. Last year, millions of people graduated from Red Cross courses, having learned things they'd always wanted to know. That's because the Red Cross offers 74 different self-help courses. Courses that teach you everything, from how to be a better parent to how to save someone's life. Every Red Cross course is developed by a top professional. Tuition is nominal. And there are hardly any admissions requirements. This year, you could take a Red Cross course and learn something you've always wanted to know. To apply, simply call the people at your Red Cross chapter. _ American Red Cross I •Natonai Collegiate Athletic Association I Newspaper & The Advertising Council + We'll help.Will you? Milton Beck Hurt -Chris Geis Milton Beck The Western Carolina running game took two turns in the wrong direction last week. Junior tailback David Mayfield, a reserve who had played much in the Catamounts' first two games, left the team for what coach Bob Waters called personal reasons. And senior tailback Milton Beck, the starter, reinjurea an ankle that had kept him out of preseason drills. Mayfield's leaving the team, according to one source, was a result of his not playing as much as he expected to in the Catamounts' first two games. Platooning with Beck, he had netted 13 yards on 15 carries and caught two passes for 18 yards this season. Beck, the Catamonts' leading rusher with 17attemptsfor58yards, rolled up two touchdowns and 66 yardsonH carries in thefirst half of Western's 34-24 victory Saturday night over Newberry. On the second touchdown run, however, he hurt his left ankle and missed the rest of the game. Beck was in a cast Monday, but sports information director Steve White said the ankle was not broken. There was some ligament damage, White said, and Beck was listed as possible for the Catamounts' Oct. 11 game with East Tennessee. "I want to get this thing healed properly, but hopefully I'll be back in time to play a bt of football the rest of the season," Beck said Saturday night. WORTH HER WEIGHT IN GOLD Low Birthweight Is The Leading Cause Of Infant Death. Every Ounce Over 5'/? Pounds Is Labeled 18 Carat For Healthy Babies.^ Prenatal Care Tips The Scale For Good Health At Birth Weigh In For Healthy Babies Support March of Dimes (f[)Mc BIRTH DEFECTS FOUNDATIONI // DISTANT REPLAY // W - The 1966 Green Bay Packers were more than just a football team. Coached by Vince Lombardi and led to victory in Super Bowl I, the glory of their legendary careers lives on in the hearts of millions of fans. DISTANT REPLAY by Jerry Kramer and Dick Schaap (Jove, September,$3.95 U.S./$4.95 Canada), captures that spirit and brings it to life. Now, 15 years after his bestselling collaboration with author Dick Schaap on Instant Replay, former Packer guard Jerry Kramer recounts the momentous occasion of the 1966 Packers' first reunion. In DISTANT REPLAY, huddling once again in Green Bay, they celebrate their historic achievement, renew frienships, revive rivalries, and remember, and remember, and remember. While legends are ! timeless, athletes age. Aches seize once-nimble joints and sap once-powerful limbs and bright careers grow dim. One by one, the mighty Packers retired, going their own directions to fight in new j arenas. Some struggle, some thrive and some fail. It is a powerful story, an inspiring testament to the tremendous personal heroism of men who are still revered by football fans every where. sw •sS^^^tm I * . *> * \

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1986-10-02
  • Date digitized: 2019-03-29
• Extent
  • Dimension: 22.75" x 15"
  • Pages: 16 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1986-10-02_Vol52_No10
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library