Oregon daily emerald., January 15, 1979, Page 13, Image 13

Japanese edge Americans in
all-star gymnastics meet
By TOM WOLFE
Of the Emerald
Form and finesse counted more
than final scores Sunday
afternoon when selected U.S. and
Japanese gymnasts performed in
Mac Court.
University all-around gymnast
Gene Christensen joined Jim
Hartung and Phil Cahoy, both of
Nebraska, and three high
school-age gymnasts from the
Midwest and East Coast, the
youngest a 16-year-older from
Pennsylvania weighing 101
pounds.
Hartung and Cahoy were the
strongest U.S. competitors,
finishing third and fourth in
all-around competition, tenths of
points behind two Japanese
competitors.
“I would rank them as the
second or third best gymnasts
now competing in the United
States,” says University
Gymnastics coach Bill Batlester.
But it was the Japanese
ensemble that scored highest in
team competition, winning 281.55
to 278.10.
Japanese teams have
dominated men’s gymnastics for
two decades, winning the team
gold medal in every Olympics
since 1960. Despite that tradition,
a small crowd received Sunday’s
performances.
“I was very dsappointed with the
attendance,” said Ballester. “But
people need to know a couple
weeks ahead if they’re going to be
able to make plans.”
Ron Paradis, assistant sports
information director, said his office
sent publicity releases to local
media “about a week and a half
ago” and "ran our first ads on
Thursday. We've had 14 home
events in 10 days. Maybe people
are ‘sported out.’ ”
Those in attendance were
particularly lively however offering
ovations to nearly every
performance, especially those of
Hartung and Cahoy, whose
farther still competes, and
five-foot high James Mikus, from
Redding, Pennsylvania.
Hartung finished first in the vault
and took second both on the still
rings and pommel horse and third
in floor exercise. Cahoy finished
first in the pommel horse, parallel
bars and high bar.
Kyoji Yamawaki, a 21-year-old
from Nihon University, won the
still rings event and placed high in .
all others to win all around.
Yamawaki, 21, was all-around
runnerup recently at the 1978
Japanese International Cham
pionships.
The Flying Ducks’ next home
meet is Feb. 9 and 10 against the
University of Washington.
The women’s team will face
California State, Chico Saturday
afternoon at 1:30 p.m. in Mac
Court.
Women clear another hurdle
with victory over Cougars
The women’s basketball team
used a pressing defense and its
running game to wear out and
defeat Washington State and
Boise State in Northwest
Women’s Basketball League
action over the weekend.
The Ducks defeated Wash
ington State 85-69 Friday and
Boise State 93-70 Saturday.
Combined with Oregon State's
71-65 loss to Washington State
Saturday, Oregon remains the
only undefeated team in the
NWBL.
Suzanne Washington, with 26
points against Washington State,
led the Ducks’ fast break against
the Cougars.
“They couldn’t keep up with
us," she said of the Cougars.
"Their guards are quick, but not
fast. That’s what beat them — not
being able to keep up with us."
“Our running game was going
well," Oregon assistant coach
Neil Stensteth concurred,
"especially during the first part of
the game. Just before the end of
the first half and three minutes into
the second half, you could tell it
was all over (for the Cougars).
They didn’t have the conditioning
and the strength to stay with us."
With eight minutes left in the
first half and up by two, 20-18
advantage and were never
seriously threatened again by the
Cougars.
"The girls were up for it, but they
didn’t play a real crisp game,”
Stensteth commented.
The Ducks forced the Cougars
into 33 tu movers but committed
27 themselves.
Saturday night, Bev Smith set a
new school scoring record with 35
points against Boise State,
edipsing Julie Cushing's old mark
of 31 set last year. Smith also had
17 rebounds and nine steals in the
game.
Out-manned and out-quicked
by the Oregon squad, Boise State
was never in the ball game.
“Their height made a lot of
difference," Boise State coach
Connie Thorngren said of the
Ducks. "They shot over us pretty
easily.
"Oregon has the capability to be
the best team in the league.
"Washington State has a lot of
height and a lot of speed in their
backcourt, but Oregon runs the
break better."
Smith, Stensteth and Adams all
expressed fears that the Ducks
may look past their next game,
against Hawaii Tuesday night, to
the Civil War match with Oregon
State Friday.
"We can get around it be setting
goals,” Smith says. “We can try to
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turnover the ball just so many
times and to allow just so many
points on defense.”
"As much as I don’t like to say it,
I think they will (look past
Hawaii),’’ Stensteth says. “I’d like
to see them concentrate on
improving defensively and on
cutting down on turnovers.’’
Photo by John Honis
Phil Cahoy of the United States scored 9.65 points to win the pommel
horse and later went on to win the high bar and parallel bars as well.
Despite Cahoy's performance, the Japanese all-stars beat the
Americans 281.55-278.10.
^.emu
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Paoe 13
Tournament Will Be Continued Tuesday