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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2000)
DAYS LEFT TO THE CIVIL WAR I m going to see a bunch of Beavers on our scout team and am going to try to kill somebody. ” - UO defensive end Jason Nikolao “ We’ve been looking at Oregon the whole year. ” -OSU linebacker Richard Seigler Monday Best Bet NFL: Oakland vs. Denver 6 p.m., ABC SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com ms Oregon junior quarterback Joey Harrington leaps in for one of his two rushing touchdowns against Cal. He also threw for Dan Brunell Emerald 252 yards in Oregon’s It s never easy for these Ducks HAKUNA MATATA JEFF SMITH It couldn’t have been that easy. You knew that. I knew that. Heck, even the Oregon players knew it. After the Ducks beat California Sat urday afternoon, 25-17, there was some celebration after securing at least a Pacific-10 Conference co-champi onship. But there wasn’t the celebration. The celebration that signifies a trip to the Rose Bowl. The celebration where everybody breathes a sigh of relief and basks in their accomplishments. Instead, it was business as usual. The Ducks knew that if Oregon State lost to Arizona Saturday night, then a Rose Bowl berth would be theirs. You wouldn’t have known it, though, if you saw the Oregon players and coaches talk after the game. They spoke as if the Beavers had al ready won. They spoke as if they al ready knew that the Civil War next week would be where the Pac-lO’s Rose Bowl representative would be decided. “Oregon State’s going to bring their ‘A’ game and we’re going to bring our ‘A’ game and two teams are going to col lide,” junior cornerbackRashad Bauman said. “Somebody is going to fall and we don’t plan on being the one that does. ” In a season where Oregon has always taken the hard way out, it must do so one final time. And anybody who Turn to Smith, page 9 Ducks win in Autzen finale ■ Oregon scores its 20th-straight win at Autzen Stadium and earns a share of the Pac-10 title By Scott Pesznecker Oregon Daily Emerald It was definitely cold at Autzen Sta dium early Saturday afternoon, and the weather wasn’t so hot, either. As the day wore on, the 45,845 fans endured cold, crisp 43-degree tempera tures — but somehow, the Oregon foot ball team heated up. The Ducks’ offense came alive in the second half and Oregon came from be hind in the fourth quarter to beat de fensive-minded California, 25-17, in its final home game this season. Oregon secured at least a share of the Pacific-10 Conference title by beating the Golden Bears. “I don’t think we’ll be completely satisfied until it’s done, until it’s all ours,” said place-kicker Josh Frankel, who scored the Ducks’ six first-half points on two field goals. “It just feels like another win.” Oregon didn’t seem like a team that had won a conference championship for just the sixth time in history. Nor did it seem like the No. 5 team in the nation, which it is — for the first time and for a new Oregon record — accord ing to the Associated Press. Rather than reflect on their most re cent victory, several Oregon players talked about their upcoming matchup with No. 8 Oregon State. “Every year it’s been a physical game with the Beavers,” defensive end Jason Nikolao said. “We’re hoping for anoth er one, I’m hoping for another one, I want another one. No matter how many injuries I have, or how many in juries are on this team, everybody wants a physical game because it’s our last one for awhile before the bowl game, and we want to leave it all out on the field.” “We could be Pac-10 champions and go and, and ... I don’t even want to think about it,” Oregon quarterback Joey Har rington said. “This season’s not going to Turn to 20th win, page 12 ii This season’s not going to be complete until we play a good, physical football game next week. Joey Harrington Oregon quarterback _n Ducks fourth at Regionals ■ Smedstad, Hartmann and Kasahun all place in the top-eight at the Western Regional meet By Robbie McCallum Oregon Daily Emerald In the sport of cross country, only two competitions in a season really mean much of anything: The championship meet, and the championship-qualify ing meet. All season long, the Ore gon women’s cross coun try team struggled — that is, in the meets that don’t count for anything. The Ducks were even in danger of missing the NCAA Championship meet (one of the meets that count). Oregon broke out of its season-long slump Saturday, placing fourth overall at the NCAA Western Regional meet in Fresno, Calif, (the other meet that counts). “I’m really proud of our team for battling because it’s been a rough season,” Oregon women’s coach Tom Heinonen said. “Once again, the team ran well at the end of the sea son when it was important.” The Ducks have positioned themselves well for an at-large berth in the NCAA meet on Nov. 20. After placing a disappointing seventh at the Pacific-10 Conference Cham pionships on Oct. 28, the Ducks faced a do or-die situation in Fresno. Fortunately, six of Oregon’s seven runners responded with per sonal bests through the 6,000-meter course. Senior transfer Hanna Smedstad led the way with an eighth-place finish in a time of 20 minutes, 42 seconds. Her place is Ore gon’s highest at the Regional meet since Marie Davis’ fourth place in 1998. Senior Katie Crabb put forth her best race of the season, and possibly her cross coun try career, with a 15th-place finish in a time of 21:00. “Katie beat several people who she lost to at Pac-lOs.” Heinonen said. “She was a solid Turn to Cross country, page 8 UO pins loss on UC Davis ■ Sonnen and Webb lead Oregon wrestlers to a season opening win against UC Davis By Robbie McCallum Oregon Daily Emerald Veterans and newcomers alike got a head start on the 2000-01 wrestling season Friday. The Oregon wrestling team (1 0) was victorious in its Pacific-10 Conference and season opener with a 31-9 win against Califor nia-Davis. The match was played at Crater High School in Central Point, Ore., the former home of three Duck wrestlers. “For our opening match we wrestled well,” head coach Chuck Kearney said. “UC Davis had already wrestled in a match this season and that made a dif ference, but I thought our kids competed well.” Senior Chael Sonnen came up with a big pin in his first colle giate match in more than a year. The All-American took the 1999 GO season off to train with the U.S. Olympic team. Sonnen pinned UC Davis’ Brandon Arse nault at the 197-pound level to clinch the dual match for Oregon. Sophomore Eric Webb also won, icing the victory for the Ducks. The Eugene native pinned the Aggies’ Mike Maben in one minute, 16 seconds at the heavy weight slot. Turn to Wrestling, page 8 ii We need to open up and be more opportunis tic, but that will come as the season goes along. Chuck Kearney Oregon head coach _n
