CFL teams scurry to meet roster limits Cardinals fall to Sandpipers

sports
B IG
Mark Allan, sports editor. 562-2441.
Tuesday, July 2, 1985 — 13
""C itizen
N A M E S G E T P I N K S L IP
CFL team s scurry to m eet roster limits
by Canadian Press
The Toronto Argonauts have more quarterbacks at
their disposal following final Canadian Football
League roster cuts Monday than they had when
training camp opened in May.
Veteran Condredge Holloway will start when the
Argos open the regular season Friday in Edmonton
against the Eskimos and newcomer Mark Casale, a
castoff from the National Football League’s Chicago
Bears, will be the backup.
Friday, Toronto acquired quarterback Kevin In­
gram from the Eskimos for defensive lineman Vince
Goldsmith and defensive back Lamont Meacham.
The Argo quarterbacks also include Ricky Turner,
a Washington- State University product out for at
least another month with an injured ankle and
waived through the league Monday, and Mike
Hohensee, picked up when released by the Saskatch­
ewan Roughriders. Hohensee spent two seasons with
the now-defunct Washington Federals of the United
States Football League.
Although they finished first in the East last season
and won the Grey Cup in 1983, the Argos made more
roster changes than any other club. As many as 17
players who finished the 1984 season won’t be around
this weekend.
Among the cuts was former all-star tackle Frank­
lin King and slotback Steve Cox. Toronto picked up
defensive back Ron Howard from Winnipeg.
The nine CFL teams unearthed sudaen illnesses,
issued a barrage of pink slips and traded personnel
to get down to the required 34-man limit and fourman reserve list.
Teams have until 24 hours before their first game
to declare the status of players released. Most are
invited back for 21-dav trials, which means many
names listed on the release sheets and not claimed
by other teams will resurface.
Dave Cutler, Edmonton’s 17-year veteran kicker
and the oldest player in the league at 39 — the alltime leading scorer in professional football with 2,237
points — was released by the Eskimos. Rookie Tom
Dixon of the University of B.C. Thunderbirds will
start the season.
Cutler agreed to be cut after meeting with Edmon­
ton coaches, a club spokesman said. Cutler opted to
be cut rather than retire so he could return if needed
later in the season, the spokesman said.
Edmonton also cut Frank Balkovec, the first
choice in the 1984 college draft out of the University
of Toronto, and had sure-handed veteran receiver
Brian Fryer claimed by the Ottawa Rough Riders.
The B.C. Lions cut eight-year running back John
Henry White, then signed him to a 21-day trial when
no other team claimed him. Ottawa did the same
with veteran receiver Dave Newman.
Both are injured and their teams cut them to
make room for others on the roster, correctly guess­
ing no other team would use one of their 34 precious
roster spots to claim damaged goods.
B.C. let go White, who rushed for 523 yards last
season, and veteran Canadian running back Don
Taylor, who toiled in 100 games for the Lions. The
Lions also placed John Ulmer, son of former Bomb­
er star Ed Ulmer, on the injured reserve list.
Also clearing waivers with White were rookie
quarterback Karlton Watson, veteran linebacker
Bemie Glier, defensive backs Wendell Williams,
Alfred Johnson and Darrell Slater, running back Da­
vid Toloumu, receivers Mark deBrueys and Joey Lit­
tle, linebacker Dave McNeel, defensive lineman Ben­
nie Jones and offensive lineman Randy Fournier.
Glier, Williams and deBrueys joined White on 21day trials.
Ottawa acquired more players on waivers than
any other club, taking Fryer, defensive back Jo-Jo
Heath from the Lions and former Michigan quarter­
back Steve Smith from the Montreal Concordes.
Another 1984 first-round draft pick dropped was
Calgary defensive lineman Sean McKeown, a
University of Western Ontario graduate. Calgary
Cardinals fall
to Sandpipers
DRAG POINTS
MEAN SOMETHING
by DON SCHAFFER
Sports reporter
Anyone who thinks the American Drag Rac­
ing Association points offered to drivers at the
weekend’s ADRA Canadian finals at North Cen­
tral Raceway Park weren’t important should
talk to Dave Flasha or Ken Sitko.
Sitko, an Edmonton-based top alcohol drag­
ster driver, and Flasha, who drove a top gasclass Firebird, won their classes Sunday at
NCRP to assume first place in the ADRA divi­
sional standings.
“That win puts us into No. 1 in North Ameri­
ca for total points this season,” said Flasha, a
Penticton-based driver who is competing exten­
sively in ADRA events.
“The money we won is secondary. Being No.
1 is what it’s all about.”
“ I was just ahead in points when we came
here,” Sitko, who won his third ADRA Cana­
dian top alcohol title in three tries Sunday.
“ We got ahead in our last race (in Los
Angeles three weeks ago) and we thought about
not coming here but I said why not, we might
as well try to win this thing.”
Sitko emerged on top of a six-car field and
took home $1,400 for his five passes. He and
Wayne Vanouck of Sumas, Wash., turned the
top two times in qualifying races and made the
final, with Sitko edging Vanouck for the top pri­
ze.
“ I didn’t think 1 was going to win it,” Sitko
said. “ It was like this (indicating a four-inch
margin! at the top end and I wasn’t sure who
won until I heard from the crew.”
Sitko turned a 6.67-second quarter-mile with a
top speed of 206.89 miles per hour, edging the
quicker Vanouck (6.65 seconds, 205.94 mph)
with a better start.
Vanouck, of Wetaskawin, Alta., and his team­
mates turned their “ fun meter," a cardboard
thermometer with a cutting from a beer-case
as an indicator, down from nine to one after the
final despite winning $800.
Sitko said winning the event over the muchheralded Paula Gage of Mountlake Terrace,
Wash., made the victory even better.
“ I sort of wondered (why she got all the pre­
tournament attention) after I won that race in
L.A. county last month,” he said. "It feels pret­
ty good to win.”
Flasha, a relative newcomer to the sport af­
ter racing one year in the late ‘60s and return­
ing in 1981, beat Richard Doyle, formerly of
Prince George but racing out of Cache Creek,
in the A bracket final after Doyle broke out.
In bracket racing, drivers pick a time they
think they can drive and “dial in.” and are
awarded a time handicap. Doyle went faster
than his dial-in time and Flasha was given the
win and the $300 first prize. Dovle took home
$120.
“ I guess it’s the best way to lose if you have
to lose,” Doyle said. “There was only about
three inches difference at the top end between
us.”
Doyle crossed the finish line first in his Mon­
za funny car.
Flasha ran a 10.15-second quarter-mile with a
top speed of 136.98 mph, while Diyle turned a
9.50-second quarter at 139.53 mph to cross the
line first. Doyle eliminated Jim Goertzen of
Burns Lake in one semi-final, while Flasha
downed Leo Grocock of Prince George in the
other.
Flasha also won Saturday nighi’s King of the
Hill event, which ran Sunday morning after
getting postponed by a spectacular thunder­
storm. Flasha beat Joe Marinus of Prince
George in the final.
Despite losing the main event semi-final, Gro­
cock had a good weekend, setting an ADRA
B fuel dragster record. During the weekend,
Grocock made four passes under the former re­
cord, lowering the mark to 7.85 seconds at 172
mph.
His actual time was 8.05 seconds at 168 mph.
but ADRA records set at high altitudes are
adjusted to sea-level times, which are quicker.
Grocock is teamed with Russ McNicol this
season, and it’s working out well for both.
“ It’s been an excellent partnership.” Grocock
said. “We’re both running faster and we should
get better.”
In the B class final, Glen Robertson of
Grande Praire, Alta., beat Dave Saunders of
Kitimat with a 10.68-second run at 114.94 mph
in his 1973 Vega. Saunders ran an 11.22-second
quarter at 113.92 mph in his 1965 Beaumont.
Robertson beat Don Elgin of Seattle in one
semi-final, while Saunders eliminated the Hon­
da-powered Lil Digger dragster, owned by Ron
Ervin of Sicamous.
Robertson took home $300 and Saunders $150.
Elgin and Ervin both got $75.
The C title and its $200 first prize went to
Elgin, who raced in two classes with two differ­
ent Pontiacs. Elgin drove his station wagon to
a 12.75-second, 93.74 mph run to beat Wes Nystrom of Edmonton, who made a 13.07-second
74.44 mph run in his 1967 Chevy for the $100
runner-up purse.
Nystrom had a bve into the final, while Elgin
had to beat Ross llarcourt of Dawson Creek in
the single semi-final. Harcourt got $75.
The next event at NCRP is Wednesday’s
street eliminator event,
i
also traded offensive tackle Jerry Dobrovolny, the
No. 1 pick in the 1983 draft out of UBC, to Montreal
for a 1986 second-round draft pick.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats cut quarterback Art Wil­
liams and placed quarterback Ken Hobart on their
four-man reserve list, leaving Pete Gales and Jeff
Tedford to start in Hamilton’s season opener at
home Saturday to B.C.
All-purpose back Rufus Crawford and bulldozing
fullback Mark Bragagnolo were placed on Hamil­
ton’s reserve list.
Winnipeg released running back James Sykes and
Canadian fullback Dan Huciack, who shattered a leg
playing against Saskatchewan last season. Denny
Ferdinand, runner-up to Paul Bennett in 1983 as the
league’s most outstanding Canadian, was axed by
the Bombers, too.
The Bombers also released Doug Ploen, rookie
non-import defensive back and son of former Bomb­
er quarterback Kenny Ploen.
Notable among CFL rookies making the grade was
import quarterback Damon Allen with Edmonton.
Others were non-import wide receiver Perri Ceci
and offensive lineman Tom Spoletini with the Calga­
ry Stampeders.
Allen is the younger brother of Los Angeles Raider
speedster Marcus Allen.
Interior Rodeo Association president Robb Belsher of W illiams Lake rides Big Joe in
the bareback riding event.
Citizen photo by Dave Milne
RODEO TERMED SUCCESS
Cowboys like Christmas
by MARK ALLAN
Sports editor
The holiday weekend was a good one for
Prince George cowboys in general and Den­
nis Fowler in particular.
Fowler was runner-up to the all-around
cowboy at the C-101 weekend competition in
Prince George, winning $413.44 for finishing
first in saddle bronc riding on Banner ana
$72.60 for placing sixth in steer wrestling.
Fowler earned a mark of 77 in saddle bronc
riding and had a time of 6.42 in steer wrestl­
ing.
Brad Nielsen of Merritt, the Interior Ro­
deo Association’s all-around cowboy last
year, will receive a $400 belt buckle for
being the all-around cowboy during the
weekend. Nielsen teamed with Sparky Trot­
ter of Cawston, near Keremeos, to win in
team roping in 7.12 seconds and Nielsen was
sixth in the saddle bronc competition.
The Exhibition Grounds competition, be­
lieved to be the largest two^lay rodeo in
Prince George history, o^.red about $20,000
in prize money. It was sanctioned by the In­
terior Rodeo Association and co-approved by
the Northwest Rodeo Association and
Yellowhead Rodeo Cowboys’ Association.
Competitor;, enjoyed the so-called ‘cow­
boys’ Christmas,’ known as that because
there are mo,:c North American rodeos on
the first weekend in July than at any other
time of the year.
“This was an excellent rodeo,” said an­
nouncer Keith Dinwoodie, a professional
auctioneer and rodeo announcer from Arm­
strong who sees about 35 rodeos a year.
Dinwoodie praised the crowd as well as
the competitors.
“The people really came out and support­
ed it. The people are fairly knowledgeable.”
About 700 spectators braved cool and driz­
zly conditions Saturday night but were
treated to a spectacular lightning display at
no extra charge. About 1,000 people witnes­
sed Sunday’s action in warmer and drier but
windier conditions.
Dominic Valine of Prince George captured
The Citizen Trophy for scoring 75 Saturday
night in bull riding. Valine survived an
eight-second tussle with Red One to win
$516.80.
One of the biggest winners of the weekend
was Rhonda McLeod of Prince George, who
earned $671.84 for beating 41 other competi­
tors in women’s barrel racing. Her time of
17.338 seconds nipped a 17.348 clocking by
Debbie DeRose of Merritt.
Trotter was one of two double winners dur­
ing the weekend. In addition to joining
forces with Nielsen to win in team roping, he
won the calf roping event in 10.53.
Allison Stevenson of Quesnel was the other
double winner, with a clocking of 5.21 in jun­
ior breakaway roping and 14.32 in junior
goat tying.
Steer wrestling honors and $490.96 went to
Oral Murphy of Grande Prairie in 4.18 se­
conds. Craig Kohorst was third in 4.66 and
fellow Prince George cowboy Bob Bowers
Sr. was fifth in 5.93.
Other winners included Wayde Joyal of
Vanderhoof with a 74 on Little Chief in bare­
back riding; Kathy Corr of Arras, near Daw­
son Creek, in 1.94 seconds in women’s steer
undecorating; and Tiffany Davidson of Van­
derhoof with a time of 12.71 seconds in goat
tying.
Wade Gentles of Williams Lake won in
junior steer riding with a 68 and Tammy
Elzinga of 150 Mile House was the top junior
barrel rider in 17.905 seconds.
The stock supplied by Trails End Rodeo of
Eureka River in Alberta was universally
praised, with the possible exception of some
cowboys who took a tumble.
The bulls were especially tough — only
seven of 30 cowboys lasted the required
eight seconds on their randomly-drawn bull
to earn a mark.
One ill-tempered beast, appropriately
named J.R., has been riden for the full eight
seconds only once in seven years.
Unknown advances with first seeds
LONDON (AP) — John McEnroe and Marti­
na Navratilova, the defending men’s and wo­
men’s champion:', advanced to the quarter-finals of the WirrJ.Udon tennis championships to­
day, along with oiiris Evert Lloyd who is still
on course for the Grand Slam.
But in one of the biggest upsets of tourna­
ment, fourth-seeded Manuela Maleeva of Bulga­
ria was ousted !by Molly Van Nostrand, a littleknown qualifier from the United States.
by PAUL SMITH
Sports reporter
The Kamloops Sand­
pipers won yet another
L a b a tt’s
P rin c e
George Senior Men’s
Baseball invitational
tournament during the
weekend.
That was predicta­
ble.
But w hat w asn’t
exp ecte d was the
Sandpipers’ opponents
in the final of the fiveteam A event — the
Joe Martin and Sons
Cardinals of Prince
George.
The Cardinals, not
one of the favorites
going the tournament,
won the round-robin
portion before falling
13-5 to the Sandpipers
in the final.
In the B event, the
Sherwood Park junior
team from Edmonton
beat Drayton Valley of
Alberta 5-3 to win the
six-team double-knock­
out.
The Cardinals sur­
prised everyone by
winning its first three
games of the tourna­
ment, including a 4-3
victory over the Sand­
pipers, to finish with a
3-1 record after the
round-robin. But they
couldn’t keep it going
in the final.
The
C a r d in a ls ,
plagued by miscues,
tell behind from the
beginning against the
defending B.C. senior
champion Sandpipers,
giving up four runs in
the first inning on
three errors and a
wild pitch.
Another run scored
on a wild pitch in the
second ana the Sand­
pipers, who also won
last year’s invitation­
al, scored two more in
the third to put the
game out of reach.
Joe Martin rallied
for three runs in the
top of the fourth, but
the Sandpipers closed
the door permanently
with five in the bottom
of the inning.
Kamloops got $3,000
for the win and Joe
Martin $2,000 for sec­
ond.
“We made a lot of
mental errors to start
the game,” said the
C a r d in a ls ’ R a n d y
Mackus. “ We didn’t
seem to be ready for
the first couple of in­
nings.”
The Cardinals did
keep pace with Kam­
loops at the plate (11
hits to 12 for Kam­
loops). Mackus went
three-for-four and
Brian Mohr and Steve
Antonenko were both
tw o-for-three.
Antonenko also drove
in a pair of runs.
For Kamloops, Ken
Davidowski, AI Leroux
and Mike Defelice
each went two-for-
three and Defelice,
nam ed the to u rn a ­
ment’s top outfielder,
also had two RBIs.
Gord Fitzer pitched
the win and Rick Ler­
oux, who relieved Fitz­
er in the fourth, got
the save. Colin Chris­
tensen was tagged
with the loss.
Rick Leroux pointed
to pitching as the ma­
jor difference for his
te a m .
K a m lo o p s ,
which plays in the
V a n c o u v e r M e tro
League, brought eight
pitchers along for the
trip.
“We still had three
p itc h e r s left who
hadn’t pitched when
we got to the final,”
said Leroux. You look
awful strong when
you’ve still got three
guys left who haven’t
thrown a ball.”
D espite the loss,
Mackus said the team
was happy with its
performance.
“Our team probably
played the best ball its
played in two years,”
said M ackus. “ We
were only rated fourth
or fifth, but I think we
surprised a lot of peo­
ple.”
Joe M artin edged
the Astoria Inn Power
Train Timbermen 6-5
in the opening game
S a tu r d a y
b e fo re
trouncing the Nichol­
son Chev Olds Oldtimers 8-1. In a major
upset, the Cardinals
beat Kam loops 4-3
w ith D ave G ir a r d
pitching the win.
That win left Joe
Martin with an auto­
matic berth in the fi­
nal and in their last
Strawberry pick
of numerous fans
NEW YORK (AP) —
Darryl Strawberry of
the New York Mets re­
turned to action dur­
ing the weekend after
missing almost seven
weeks with a torn liga­
m ent in his r ig h t
thumb and, despite a
.208 batting average,
moved Monday into
second place among
outfielders in balloting
for baseball’s National
League all-star team.
Philadelphia’s Mike
S c h m id t, who was
moved to first base
more than a month
ago. continued to nar­
row the lead of San
Diego’s Graig Nettles
in the voting for the
starting third base­
man.
A tlanta outfielder
Dale Murphy led all
NL vote-getters by
more than 100,000 as
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Wimbledon highlights arc on at 10:30 to­
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564-1511, Local 448
*
the balloting moved
into its final week.
The voting ends Satur­
day for the 56th allstar game July 16 at
the Metrodome in Min­
neapolis.
will offer
Van Nostrand, a 20-year-old right-hander,
scored a sensational 7-5, 6-2 upset victory to
join Navratilova in the final eight of the wo­
men’s event. Van Nostrand, ranked No. 155 in
the world, and coming off a three-month layoff
because of a foot injury, surprised Maleeva
with consistently hard service returns.
i
game of the round-rob­
in, using inexperienc­
ed pitchers to save
their starte rs, Joe
Martin was dumped
11-1 by Team Alberta.
Team Alberta, one
of the pre-tournament
fa v o rite s, finished
with a 2-2 record for
fourth place.
K am loops had to
struggle to get into the
final The Sandpipers
beat Team Alberta 3-2,
lost to Astoria 5-4 and
Joe M a r tin before
squeezing into the
semi-final with a 2-1
victory over the NCO.
Kamloops blanked
A sto ria 2-0 in the
semi-final.
Astoria won $1,000
for third place and
T im berm en pitcher
Bill Haviland led the
tournam ent in tro­
phies.
H a v ila n d
was
named top pitcher, top
batter and most valua­
ble player. He won
two games and and
led the tournament in
h ittin g with a .625
average.
M arvin Babiul of
Smithers was selected
top catcher, Martin
Hamhuis of Smithers
top infielder and Dray­
ton V a lle y m ost
sportsmanlike team.
Sm ithers won all
three of its games to
take the B final and
$1,500 fir s t p rize .
Drayton Valley was
third and won $500.
Klassic Auto Body
and the Prince George
Selects both finished
with 1-2 records and
the Astoria Inn Astros
were knocked out two
straight.
Information is available at all Secondary Schools
or by phoning
5M-1M4
Proudly Representing
Ih e c rta c T e l
a ssu ra n ce
Minting the Cfwilenqet oI Lite
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