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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1998)
Solich looks to fill holes SPRING from page 7 completed 10 of 22 passes for 201 yards in 10 games. Behind London is sophomore Bobby Newcombe, who had 589 all-purpose yards as a kick returner and a wingback. Newcombe also saw action in two games at quarter back last season. Also contending for the starting quarterback spot will be senior Monte Christo, sophomore Jay Runty, and redshirt freshman Eric Crouch. Newcombe will practice at quarterback to begin the spring, Solich said, but may move back to wingback. , “If it’s a situation where it looks like by the middle of spring ball he’s not going to step out in front or at least be battling for the starting spot,” Solich said, “then he will either be moved to wingback or we will start to incorporate some wing back plays for him.” Solich must also replace I-back Ahman Green, who opted for the NFL Draft after his junior season. Sophomore DeAngelo Evans, who ran for 776 yards two years ago before redshirting in 1997 with a pelvic injury, starts spring football as the starter. Solich said Evans has been without pain for a few weeks and should be strong. “He hasn’t been tackled yet,” Solich said. “It will be interesting when that takes place.” Another question mark lies in the offensive line, where the Huskers must replace four starters. The returning starter, senior center Josh Heskew may not participate in practice because of an injured back. But Solich said he’s confident NU can fill the void in the interior. “I’m sure we’ll have great progress from our young offensive line,” Solich said. “They really test ed well.” Defensively, Nebraska stands on more solid ground with seven returning starters. The Huskers return two starters in the secondary and two starters at linebacker. Senior rush ends Mike Rucker and Chad Kelsay and defensive tackle Jason Wiltz also return. Solich said his main concern on defense ijs in the defensive line, which has little depth after two players were thrown off the team in February. In the kicking game, senior place-kicker Kris Brown returns for his fourth straight season as starter. But NU does have to replace All American punter Jesse Kosch. Overall, Solich said he expects a spirited group of Huskers when spring practice begins. “Players know they’re not just going to show up,” Solich said. “They know they have to work hard, even if they’re first team.” Note: “A National Championship Celebration and Farewell to Coach Osborne” event is scheduled for April 24 at 7 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. Tickets are $6 and will provide admittance to the celebra tion as well as the Red-White Spring Game the following day. Plenty of tickets are still available. ornem of Exceptional selection of engagement and wedding rings, extraordinary values and passionate service. For a complimentary Engagement Package, call L800.642.GIFT BORSHEIM'S. A BeHcskirc Hathaway Company Regency Court, 120 Regency Parkway, Omaha (402)391-0400 (800) 642-GEFT Wrestlers’ title hopes drenched at NCAAs By Sarah Dose Staff Reporter CLEVELAND - They wanted to be part of a national championship team. Instead, the Nebraska wrestlers finished 19th at the NCAA Wrestling Championships March 19-21 at the Convocation Center in Cleveland. After five wrestlers were knocked out of the tournament Friday, NU watched its dreams of a team trophy washed away like Cleveland’s rainy conditions. Those dreary skies seemed to mirror the seven wrestlers’ perfor mances in the three-day tournament. Nebraska, which had hoped to walk out of the tournament with at least two individual national champi ons, instead left Cleveland with two senior All-Americans. Temoer Terry (158 pounds) fin ished 3-3 in the tournament for eighth place, and Ryan Tobin (190) finished 4-2 for fourth place. “We looked to do some great things,” NU Coach Tim Neumann said. “Instead we were inconsistent and we even did some embarrassing things. “I think the tournament went a lot like the season did.” Second-ranked Terry fell in the semifinals to Ohio’s Dwight Gardner, but did not compete in wrestlebacks because of medical rea sons. Tobin’s first loss was a 10-6 deci sion to Edinboro College’s Jason Robison on Friday evening. He won i his first match in wrestlebacks, but i lost the consolation match to Iowa’s ! Lee Fullhart. The Hawkeyes later won the championship. “He had more to wrestle for,” Tobin said. “Sometimes that sake ( alone is enough.” i The rest of Nebraska’s wrestlers ’ i were all knocked out of the tourna ment by the end of Friday’s first ses sion. j Paul Gomez (118), Brad Canoyer (134), Brad Vering (177) and J.R. Plienis all finished at 1-2, and Jeramie Welder (126) finished 2-2. Vering, one of NU’s All American hopefuls, and a redshirt freshman, said he was already think ing about getting ready for next sea son. “It’s motivation (to start training) next week,” Vering said. Neumann said he was also look ing forward to next season. “We redshirted nine scholarship kids,” he said. “We’ll be young and talented, and no one outside of the program will have any expectations. “But within the program we’ll have the same expectations. We could be great.” With the college wrestling season over, Tobin said he planned to contin ue wrestling by coaching and volun teering. “I had some great matches during the year,” Tobin said. “I can’t do much about it now, but the program will keep getting better.” Women’s tennis team wins big The Nebraska women’s tennis team won four singles matches and all three doubles matches to defeat Califomia-Irvine 7-2 Friday. In singles action, Cornhusker winners included sophomore Sandra Noetzel at No. 1 singles, senior Lisa Hart (No. 2), senior Jennifer Thoste (No. 3) and senior Adriana Dulic (No. 6). Noetzel and Thost combined to defeat Darian Chappel and Liz Yim at No. 1 doubles. Hart and freshman Danica Hardy won the No. 2 doubles match and sophomore Gina Pelazini and Kelli Clark combined for a victo ry at No. 3 doubles. The Huskers will return to action Saturday against Missouri in Columbia, Mo., at noon. Men’s gymnastics team 2nd Two Nebraska gymnasts were crowned individual champions at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Stanford, Calif. Saturday. NU was the only school to have more than one individual cham pion. Marshall Nelson defended his MPSF title on the horizontal bar, tying California’s Oleg Kosyak for i first place with a score of 9.80. Nelson was also named the MPSF’s Gymnast of the Year by a vote of con ference athletes. Jason Hardabura won the floor exercise with a career-high score of 9.725. Hardabura and Nelson paced the NU men’s gymnastics team to a second-place finish behind top ranked California. The Huskers fin ished with a team score of 227.85. Baseball team wins tourney Senior right-hander Matt Schuldt threw 6 2/3 innings of two-hit ball as the Nebraska baseball team (12-8) defeated Hawaii (26-12) in the cham pionship game of the Rainbow Easter Baseball Tournament in Honolulu. The Comhuskers, who went 5-2 against the six-team field, scored one run in the first and another in the fifth in the final game. Center fielder Cliff Durham and right fielder Donny Starkins each knocked in a run. Chad Wiles and Tevis Arnold combined for two scoreless innings of relief. Arnold, along with first baseman Ken Harvey, was named to the All-Tournament Team. The Huskers will return to action Wednesday against Missouri in Columbia, Mo., at 3 p.m. .. i We're More Than You Think! 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