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Rustler
using MSU to reach goals
MSU
has a short list of athletes who have reached the professional ranks
in their respective sports. Those that play hockey have not been on
that list. Perhaps until now. Cory Lennartson plays right wing for
the Wichita Falls Rustlers and is a student at MSU. He has a viable
dream of playing hockey at a major Div. I school up north. So why
is he going to school at MSU? The answer is somewhat complicated.
An NCAA rule states that to be eligible to play at a Div. I school,
he must be a registered student at an accredited college by his 21st
birthday. This would be his last year of eligibility in Junior ‘A’
hockey. Other Rustlers attend Vernon College with a trimester format
of classes. Those classes did not begin until Feb. 18. Cory turned
21 on Feb. 10. “I am kind of taking a chance. If I don’t get a scholarship
at a Div. I school and end up playing at a Div. III school, all of
this is pointless,” he said. His chances are pretty good, according
to Rustlers assistant coach Mike Perkins. “He has several highly touted
D-I schools looking at him,” Perkins said. Schools such as University
of Connecticut, Minnesota-Duluth and Minnesota State Mankato do not
ring many bells in Texas, but up north, they are big names. Schools
have plenty of reasons to be looking at Cory this season. “Playing
Div. I hockey has always been my dream, and I would want to play for
the University of Minnesota. They have the best rink and the best
crowd,” he said. With three years of junior hockey in his back pocket,
he is among the leagues’ best. He is in the top five in goals scored
and in the top ten in overall points. “He has a lot of experience
and plays a key role on this team. He is a valuable asset,” Perkins
said. “He plays hard every night and leads the team by example instead
of being a big talker.” Some of his teammates have taken notice of
his skills and approached him for tips or advice on how to make their
game better. “Some of the younger guys will see something that I am
doing and try to incorporate that into their game,” Cory said. He
plays with awareness around the puck that few players can match. He
is a left-handed shooter with a wicked snap-wrist shot. “He takes
shots and is a scorer for our team,” Perkins said. Cory credits one
of his older brothers for helping him along with his development.
“My brother was the captain of our high school team, and he saw that
I had something special,” Cory said. Neither of his brothers played
past their senior year in high school. His hometown of Cloquet, Minn.,
has a rich history of producing talented hockey players. Playing hockey
since he was four years old, Cory soaked up as much ice time as possible.
“There were 15 rinks in our town that everybody could play on and
get as much ice time as they wanted too,” Cory said. “The neighborhood
kids and I would be on the ice before school started, then go to school
and afterwards, go play for our club teams.” One of the kids that
Cory enjoyed playing with most is the younger brother of NHL star
Jaime Langenbrunner (former Stanley Cup winner with the Dallas Stars).
“Our families are real close,” Lennartson said. When the Stars played
the expansion Minnesota team for the first time, Langenbrunner purchased
two luxury boxes for both families to watch. Back home on the frozen
ponds, Cory remembers not thinking much of Langenbrunner growing up.
“It wasn’t until his junior year of high school that I saw something
special,” Lennartson said. The Dallas Stars saw something special
and drafted him before he had completed his junior year. Understandably,
Cory’s favorite player is Langenbrunner, who now plays for the New
Jersey Devils. But the Dallas Stars have always held a fond place
in his heart. The franchise was previously known as the Northstars
when they played in Minnesota until they moved to Dallas ten years
ago. Trying to balance a college life and a hockey life has not been
the easiest thing for Cory. “I’ve got my own busy schedule. Some days
I go straight from class to the rink for practice or games,” Cory
said. “I like it though, it’s a nice setting,” he said of MSU. One
problem that he faces is he has been out of school for three years
while focusing on hockey, and it is difficult to get back into the
swing of classes. Many students complain about difficult classes after
missing one or two semesters after graduating from high school. “The
professors have been real understanding with me and this situation,”
Cory said. It is harder for a hockey player to handle a full season
and a load of classes than atheletes in other sports. With training
camp beginning in August and the season possibly lasting into May,
six months of the year are taken away with road trips and practices.
This has been an atypical season for the Rustlers. The season began
on a 25-game road trip. “It has helped me this semester with school
because we won’t have any long road trips until the playoffs,” Cory
said. The lengthy road trip also helped the team gel as a unit, according
to Cory.. “We were around each other every minute of every day. We
didn’t go out much, and that let us get to know each other real well.”
The Rustlers are on top of the standings in the AWHL. They know how
to play as a team. That mentality will take them deep into the playoffs,
where the Gold Cup awaits the league champions. “If we were to advance
in the playoffs, and win it, it would be a huge boost to the guys
on the team. It would probably help a lot of them get the scholarships
and the chances to play Div. I hockey,” Cory said. “That’s why we’re
all here, and that is what I’ve been striving for.”
When
did the Ligon Loonies disappear?
“I got to get out of here. I think I’m going to have a heart attack.” Those were the words of one MSU basketball fan this past Saturday night as the seconds wound down on another frantic finish to a game. Most of the home games this season have come down to the final seconds and been nothing short of exciting for the fans that made it out. For what it’s worth, the Lady Indians game came down to a last-second, desperation three-point attempt. The problem is that not as many people were there as should have been. What exactly is the deal? The fans that do make it out for the second half of the women’s and most of the men’s games are regulars. The familiar faces always seem to show up. Good for them. That really is something to build on though. The same crazy fans were at the football games and the soccer matches last semester. I am also proud that most of the fans are intelligent enough to cheer and make noise without being prompted to by the p.a. announcer. Initially, I wanted to write how MSU students suck and don’t support their teams. Not enough studends shows up for games, and the opposing team’s fan support is sometimes louder than our own. But that is just not true. I just wish there were more. Head football coach Bill Maskill said in a press release last week that signing two star Petrolia football players was big “because they have a large following.” Relying on small-town football groupies to bolster attendance is ridiculous, sad and borderline insulting. The terrible truth is that the sleepy little town of Petrolia probably draws a bigger crowd to its games than MSU does. But let’s bring it back to the sport of the season. If the basketball fans that attended the game could bring just one more of their friends, think of the impact it would create. Most of the students understand that MSU basketball has turned into a social gathering rather than a spectator event. On the other hand, more than 90 percent have stayed until the final horn sounds. That is pretty remarkable. Usually a social sporting event’s attendance thins dramatically before the end of the game, especially if the home team is losing. What I wish for is a crazed student section, the likes that is shown on ESPN College Basketball Saturdays where everyone wears matching t-shirts, jumps around and screaming crazily with painted bodies and floppy colored wigs. That is the type of crowd that make games fun. That is the type of crowd that players love to play in front of, and visitors hate. There can be no argument there is a home court advantage for Duke, Kentucky, Oklahoma and any other arena that echoes with the voices of the students. That kind of advantage could work wonders. The adrenaline rush from the crowd could boost the men’s basketball program with energy to push them over the top. Again, it is not that the energy isn’t there at all. But there are times when you could probably hear a cricket chirping in the stands between the squeaks of shoes on the hardwood. There should be more fans like Chris Schucart, loud with his mini-megaphone and never shy to toss insults at the refs or other team. I found myself a bit disappointed that he wasn’t painted up like usual at the last game. I’ve been told it used to be like that. Fans used to fill up the coliseum. D.L. Ligon can seat over 6,000. I would have loved to have been in that atmosphere. Whatever happened to the “Ligon Loonies?” Precious few on this campus remember them. I am told they were a group of crazy, rowdy students that never missed a game when the men’s team was winning on a regular basis. The attendance regularly hovers above 1,000 now. Sometimes the crowd can make enough noise to make it difficult to concentrate. But it is nothing like 6,000. The cheerleaders are trying to make it fun by throwing out free shirts and plastic basketballs. The athletic department is trying to make it fun by offering free tuition and halftime entertainment. The band is trying to make it fun by getting the crowd involved with popular music and timely chants. So what is it? I’ve heard an excuse that the men’s team isn’t doing well, and that is why nobody goes to the games. If that is the case, then where are the fans for the Lady Indians? Regionally ranked and firing three-point shots from around the perimeter should be cause enough to attract students. Yet, you can count on your hands and feet the number of students at 6 p.m. when the girls start. Some people say that girl’s basketball just isn’t as exciting. Some students say, “Who cares.” Hopefully that won’t be the case when the Lady Indians are making their run in the playoffs, and the guys are watching from the stands. It is still possible that the Indians could reach the playoffs in the LSC. Actually, if the season ended today, the Indians would make it as a No. 4 seed. One problem is they play four of their next six games on the road in hostile arenas against teams that could kill them. With only two home games left on the regular-season schedule, it would be great if the student fans could bolster higher numbers and reach a decibel level that hasn’t been heard in D.L. Ligon in years. But who among us can actually see that happening? It would be a great way to send the team out on the road knowing they had the support of as many students as possible. So go buy maroon paint. Get one of the newly designed T-shirts. Make some posters. Be loud and buy some cough drops for the day after.
Fincher, Lady Indians hold off Lady Buffaloes 78-75
Adrian Fincher led the Indians with 25 points, guiding them to a 78-75 win over the West Texas A&M Lady Buffs Saturday. Jel-ani Armstrong got things started for the Indians seconds into the game with two hard-fought points despite tough defense. The Buffs answered with a three-pointer, but were silenced by Meosha Walker’s rebound, who threw up-court to Octavia Holmes for the score. Walker also rebounded an Armstrong miss for a three-pointer. Haley Hobson got into the scoring column with a three-point basket of her own, but Lady Buff Jennifer Brock answered back with a three-pointer. Minutes later, Fincher would score on a turnaround jumper, inching the Indians closer with nearly seven minutes left in the first half. Fincher, who finished the first half with 15 points, then evened the score with a shot under the basket. The half ended with a three-point shootout, first by Buffalo Tia Banks, then Walker and finally Carlee Massie finished the contest with a three of her own. MSU trailed West Texas 46-39 at the half. “I was not real excited about the defensive effort, particularly in the first half,” head coach Shannon Burks said. “We allowed them to do things we had talked about this week that we wouldn’t let them do. One was dribble penetration and the other was standing behind their post players.” At the beginning of the second half, Fincher picked up right where she left off with a long two-pointer. Fincher and Armstrong would combine for the first six points of the second half to bring the Lady Indians within one point, 46-45. That is when the Buffs made a run, hitting a three-pointer and a pair of free throws after a technical foul was called on Burks. Kristin Ramsey and Hobson each scored on a three-pointer, and Hobson kept the game close by making three free throws after being fouled on a three-point shot. MSU then switched to a zone and scored nine straight points, including a hook shot from Armstrong to give the team its first lead since the middle of the first half. “You saw a zone from my team for the first time in my life,” Burks said. “I think that was a point where they went stale, and we got energized by it.” Ramsey hit another three-pointer to push the Indians ahead, 73-68, with less than five minutes left. WT’s Celeste Stevenson made it a two-point game with her shot, but back-to-back baskets by Armstrong and a free throw from Walker increased the lead to 78-70. Val Wootan hit a shot from inside, and Suni Jo Petty hit a three-pointer to push West Texas within three points. The Indians clinched the win as a long three-point attempt by Petty hit the rim at the buzzer. Last year against West Texas, Fincher scored 17 points for her biggest game as a freshman. On Saturday, she set the net on fire with 25 points and grabbed eight boards. “She played huge,“ Burks said. “The mark of a good team is having different players step up when they need to. I’m proud of the way she played tonight.” Armstrong chipped in 16 points and Walker added 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Hobson had an 11-point night and Ramsey finished with six points as Burks kept her in when the game was close. “We were getting open looks when they started double-teaming Jel-ani,” he said. “Kristin is the type of player who can take advantage of things like that.” West Texas had a big performance from Stevenson, who led the team with 19 points. Petty finished with 15 points while Banks posted 14 points and Massie chipped in another 13. The win gives the Lady Indians possession of second place in the Lone Star Conference South and improves their overall record to 16-5 and 7-1 in conference play. The Lady Buffs’ four-game win streak was snapped as they drop to 14-5 on the season and 4-2 in the LSC South.
A pair of Class A state champions and 11 offensive linemen highlight head coach Bill Maskill’s first recruiting class at MSU. Among the signees are 16 high schoolers, four junior college transfers and eight mid-term transfers who will look to replace the seven starters the Indians lost last season. “We addressed our needs and we think we got some very athletic guys,” Maskill said. MSU landed two local stars in Petrolia’s Justin Creech and Ross Harrison, both were a significant part of the Pirates’ state championship. Harrison rushed for 2,610 yards and 37 touchdowns while earning Class A Player of the Year honors. Creech, a 6-4 quarterback, threw for 2,772 and 34 touchdowns, claiming an All-State selection as well. Another local player, Wichita Falls High School’s Gary Wilson, made MSU’s list, and Maskill said the 6-0 receiver could be a diamond in the rough. “There is a really big upside to Wilson,” Maskill noted. “He has good speed and good jumping ability - the sky is the limit for him because he’s only played football one year.” While Maskill and his staff addressed many of the teams’ needs, there are still a couple of positions that can use upgrades. “We are still lacking for a tight end that is proven, and we didn’t really fulfill the corner spot,” Maskill said. “We are also still actively recruiting defensive linemen, too.” Focusing on strengthening a depleted offensive line, Maskill inked seven offensive linemen with prior college experience. He also noted that three freshmen linemen - Brandon Amie, Brandon Rogers and Immanuel Sennet - would be able to contribute down the road. “Those three kids are very good additions,” Maskill said. “We got three very good high school players who we hope can learn the system this year and take the place of graduating seniors down the road.” The Indians also signed versatile athletes that Maskill hopes will be able to adjust to a different position in college. “(Michael) Cooks, (Josh) McWhorter, (Fred) Moore, (David) Pelebo, (Darrius) Richard, (Paul) Warren and Wilson are all dual guys,” Maskill said. “They can do more than one thing.” Moore, who attended state champion Denton Ryan, was District 6-4A’s co-Defensive Player of the Year. Cooks, out of Dallas Skyline, was District 10-5A’s Special Teams Player of the Year, and Richard was an All-District selection from Denton High. McWhorter, who was a safety at Fort Worth All Saints, will be moved to the corner position. He turned down Div. I scholarship offers from Boston College and Connecticut to play at MSU. A pair of high schoolers from Florida, Derryck Davis and Keion Roberts, will unite after junior college stints to counter the loss of starters Jarrod Meno and John Mudge. Davis was recruited by Florida State out of high school but never attended FSU because of eligibility issues. “Provided that (Davis and Roberts) are in shape and are working hard right now, those guys could be a big impact on our defensive line,” Maskill said. Even though Maskill nabbed three local athletes, many others joined different Lone Star Conference schools. “We would have liked to have had (City View’s) Gus Barnes, (Holliday’s) Lee Price and (WFHS’) Shelvie Cleaver, but the scholarship money that we had to put into them was not nearly as great as the scholarship money given to them by our opponents,” Maskill said. Although the transition from high school to the college level may be tough for some players, Maskill said the adjustments will not be too difficult. “A football player is a football player,” Maskill said. “The competition is better, but I promise that the emphasis and the work ethic that the coaches teach isn’t any different.” The Indians, coming off their third straight 7-4 season, will begin spring practice on March 11. They will take the week of Spring Break off, then will work out four days a week for the next three weeks. They will finish up on April 12 with a inter-squad scrimmage.
Men’s
soccer team nabs 6 The men’s soccer team signed four players over the past week, adding a load of talent to a nationally-ranked squad that lost five starters this year. “We feel like we got a couple of real good players that can come in and help right away,” MSU coach Doug Elder said. “It’s a good class, and we feel we have a few kids with some experience.” MSU’s most prized possession may be forward Garnett Chisholm, who was a two-time All-American at San Jacinto Junior College. The 6-0, 170-pound Jamaican native collected 39 goals and 25 assists in his two years at San Jacinto. “He was recruited by several Div. I schools but chose MSU,” Elder said. “He will score some goals for us up front and add some speed to our forward line.” Midfielder/forward Scott Leonard, defender Ryan Abbott and goalkeeper Jeremy Turner also signed letters of intent to play for the Indians. Leonard, who currently attends Kingswood High School, led the state-ranked Mustangs in goals and assists last year. He is the team captain and an All-District player as well. “He’s a quick and versatile player who is always dangerous with the ball,” Elder said. Abbott is a strong, 5-10 defender from nationally-ranked and two-time state champion from Broken Arrow in Oklahoma. “He’s a fast, skilled defender who should help replace some defenders lost to graduation,” Elder said. Turner, who will bring depth to the goalkeeper position, is a three-year starter at Friendswood High School in Houston. He was also an All-District and All-Region selection. Two players, Leighal Dellis and Richardo Box, are also mid-year transfers that are currently enrolled at MSU. Dellis is an Australian native who led his squad, the Wollongong Wolves, in scoring in 2002. Box, from Jamaica, transferred from Tyler Junior College. “Both of these players have had international experience and should add to our already-strong midfield and forward line.”
Indians
fall to Buffs 67-64 The Indians lost another down-to-the-wire game to West Texas A&M Saturday, 67-64. “We have had trouble getting over the hump and have really struggled at times,” head coach Greg Giddings said. Josh Drumgole got the game started with a jumper for two points off the assist from Jovani Allen. The Buffaloes answered with a lay-up by Rod Prater plus a free throw on a foul by Stephen Mitchell. Sophomore Justin James exploded defensively in the first half. James stole the ball from David Rhone just three minutes into the game and ran up the court to pass to Marquette Wilkins for the layup. He finished the first half with two steals in just seven minutes of play. Wilkins hit both free throws, putting MSU ahead 33-32 at halftime. The Buffaloes jumped out to a quick lead in the second half with a jumper by Rhone and a lay-up by Reggie Harris. “That has been an area that we have talked about, not just giving up a bunch of lay-ups,” Giddings said. “But we did it anyway.” Wilkins would answer with two free throws and a layup to bring the Indians within one point. James would prove himself effective offensively in the second half. Less than six minutes into the half, James powered up to the basket for two points and the foul. After making the free throw, the Indians tied the game at 40. James scored again with a lay-up and jumper to put MSU ahead 44-42. He scored all seven of his points in just over a minute. Kris Sivertsen stepped up late to tie the game on back-to-back jumpers, but failed to convert a free throw that would have given MSU the lead with just 1:44 left. MSU had a chance to win when Harris missed a shot for the Buffs, and James grabbed the rebound. But Allen turned the ball over, and Prater hit two free throws for a 66-64 lead. James fouled Kyle Caldwell with less than 30 seconds to play, but Caldwell missed both. A jump ball between Daniel Zdeb and Harris resulted in a West Texas’ possession. Sivertsen fouled Caldwell just five seconds later, but this time Caldwell made one of his two shots to put the Buffaloes ahead 67-64. Wilkins missed a three-pointer on the game’s last possession as the Indians lost their second straight home game. Among the Indians’ problems were foul trouble and the fact that they were held scoreless in the final 3:29 of the game. Drumgole, James and Mitchell all fouled out. “They’re our tough guys,” Giddings said. “And at that stage of the game, they were all out.” Marquette Wilkins led the team in scoring for the ninth straight game with 23 points. Drumgole finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Justin James chipped in with four steals in 22 minutes of play. The Buffaloes had two men in double digits. Prater and Rhone scored 16 and 12, respectively. The loss drops the men to 7-14 overall and 2-4 in the Lone Star Conference South. The Buffaloes improve to 13-7 and 3-2. The two teams play again Thursday in Canyon.
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