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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 2001)
Sports Editor: Adam Jude adam jude@dailyemerald. com Assistant Sports Editor: Jeff Smith jeffsmith@dailyemerald. com Wednesday, October 10,2001 Oregon Daily Emerald Best Bet MLB playoffs: Oakland at New York, 5:15p.m., Fox Sports Net Roommates motivate each other on and off die In his first career start, redshirt freshman Sarnie Parker led the Ducks with six receptions for 160 yards, including his first touchdown, in Oregon’s 63-28 victory over Arizona. Adam Amato Emerald ■ Many Oregon players were given a chance to contribute to the Ducks’ latest win, including roommates George Wrighster and Sarnie Parker By Jeff Smith Oregon Daily Emerald Roommates at home, teammates on the field and motivators everywhere in-be tween. Sophomore tight end George Wrighster and redshirt freshman receiver Sarnie Park er pushed each other all summer in prepa ration for this season. Whether it was lifting that extra weight, running that extra lap or catching that extra pass, the two California natives benefited from each other’s motiva tion. While both have had their moments in the past, Parker catching three passes for 72 yards against Oregon State and Wrighster displaying his sharp blocking skills in every game last season, it wasn’t until Saturday night that they both reached the paydirt. Wrighster and Parker each hauled in their first career touchdown pass in fifth-ranked Oregon’s message-sending 63-28 victory at Arizona. In the first quarter, it was Wrighster who got the Oregon offensive attack rolling when he gave his team the early 7-0 lead with a two yard scoring reception. And in the second quarter, it was Parker who helped Oregon break away when he broke loose in the open field and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Joey Harring ton to extend the Ducks’ lead to 28-14. Wrighster ended up with three catches for 18 yards while Parker started in place of Keenan Howry and led all Oregon receivers with five catches for 160 yards. “We talked about this all summer, about getting out there and trying to make an im pact in a big game,” Parker said. “It’s fun to be able to go home and be able to talk about how the game went and how we con tributed to the win.” Also living with the two is fellow team mate Onterrio Smith, who also played a key part in the win by rushing for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Wrighster said that it wasn’t until a late night conversation with his roomies that he realized that he had scored the first points of the game. “We were talking about the game and someone said, ‘Man, you scored the first TD,’ and I was like, ‘I did, huh?’” Wrighster said. “So yeah, it was kind of cool. Everybody wants to be a part of the scoring of fense. When you catch balls and get into the end zone, it makes you feel even more a part of the offense.” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti has long liked Wrighster’s blocking abilities but is practically drooling at the thought of hav ing two proven receivers at the tight end po sition. With opposing defenses having to honor Wrighster’s catching abilities, it would potentially free up starting tight end Justin Peelle, who is on every defensive co ordinator’s game plan. “George is one of the best line of scrim mage blockers, and that is good, but if we can release him and take him down the field, it certainly would add to our offense,” Bellotti said. As for Parker, Bellotti is more than com fortable having Harrington use him as an important part of the offense. Parker’s burst of acceleration is what separates him from the pack, Bellotti said. “Sarnie brings a speed factor to the team, and on the fly, he’s probably the fastest player on the team other than Allan Amundson,” Bellotti said. “At the receiver position, he can definitely stretch Turn to Football, page 8A Ducks head to Corvallis in search of first victory ■The volleyball team takes on the surprising Beavers tonight in an attempt to gain their first Pac-10win of the season By Hank Hager Oregon Daily Emerald When Fox Sports Net comes calling, you know it’s going to be a good match. That’s right, it’s Civil War time. And although it matches two teams at the opposite ends of the spectrum, tonight’s match at Gill Coliseum in Cor vallis promises to be one for the ages. The Ducks (8-7 overall, 0-6 Pac-10 Conference) take their underrated de fense to Oregon State in an attempt to knock-off the surprising Beavers (10-4,4 2) in the first installment of this season’s Civil War. Tonight’s match, slated to start at 7 p.m., will be televised by Fox Sports Net on a tape-delayed basis. It is set to be aired at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Spirits will be high, and so will emotion. But cooler heads will prevail in a match between the two rivals. “It’s always fun as a player to go up against your rival,” Oregon State head coach Nancy Somera said. “There’s al ways additional adrenaline, and it’s al ways fun. We are anticipating that it will be a competitive match, but we’re not treating it any different than any other match. Oregon just happens to be the next team on our schedule.” Oregon head coach Carl Ferreira agrees, and is look ing forward to play ing the Beavers. But he said he doesn’t have to say anything to get his players fired up. “At all the levels the kids play, somewhere along the way, they have traditional rivals,” he said. ' “It’s not like you have to say anything to get their awareness. I think it takes care of itself.” Asked if the match in Corvallis takes on any special importance because it is against the Ducks’ only traditional rival, Ferreira said, “Actually, I think they’re all important.” Oregon State, the only squad the Ducks beat on the road in Pac-10 play last season, has become a legitimate presence in the conference. After going Turn to Volleyball page 6A Soccer prepares for tangles in Pac-10 ■The Ducks will face top-25 foes California and Stanford this weekend at Pape Field By Peter Hockaday Oregon Daily Emerald A week ago, the Oregon women’s soccer team looked at this weekend’s matchups with Stanford and Califor nia with dread. California was ranked sixth in the country, while Stanford was close behind, in seventh. At the same time, the Ducks had looked miserable at the beginning of a 3-0 loss to No. 4 Portland. But all that changed as the week went on. Portland smoked a tough Oregon State squad to jump to third in the country, while Stanford and Cal both dropped games and dropped in the rankings. Oregon then blew out Portland State, even after the Ducks’ reserves let in two soft goals. Still, this weekend’s games loom on Oregon’s schedule. Duck head coach Bill Steffen said his team will take im portant lessons into the conference-openers this weekend. “We learned that we can play well and we can do things right,” Steffen said. “We also learned that we can’t play slop py, no matter what.” The Ducks take on No. 17 California on Friday at 3 p.m., and No. 9 Stanford on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games will be played at Oregon’s Pape Field, where the Ducks are 4-1 this season. Believin’ in the Bruins UCLA is having success this season to the tune of a 9-0-0 record and a No. 2 ranking. The Bruins trail only North Car olina in the polls, and handed No. 3 Portland its only loss this season in their opener. The Bruins will take on Arizona and Arizona State, and while neither team is ranked, both are dan Turn to Soccer, page 6A Adam Amato Emerald Chalise Baysa has led Oregon in scoring for three years.
