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The Wichitan April 22, 2009
Sports
Eskridge leads Gold over Maroon in Spring Game, 33-21 Bobby Morris Sports Editor
It’s football in April, but four touchdowns in a game is impressive regardless of the month. Zack Eskrdige showed he’s definitely ready to lead the Mustangs into the 2009 season with a four-touchdown performance to lead the Gold to a 33-21 victory over the Maroon in Midwestern State’s Annual Maroon/Gold Spring Game Saturday afternoon at the MSU Practice Fields. Eskridge was flawless in his first 11 attempts; eventually connecting on 16-of-20 passes for 269 yards, including his four scoring tosses. The junior QB hit Sasan Faradineh with a 21-yard pass-andcatch, hooked up with Ethan Ro-
sales on a 58-yard screen pass, threw a 33-yard strike to Sheldon Galloway, before finishing with a 28-yard throw to Andy Tanner. Eskridge led the Gold to a quick 14-0 lead in the first quarter, on the back of his first two scoring tosses. Redshirt junior Ben McMahan led the Maroon team back into the game in the second quarter with some quick, improvising plays. McMahan snuck in a scoring rush from one yard out to close the gap to 14-7. Neal Carr, Lester Bush and Eskridge combined for three plays on the next drive, ending in the QB hitting Galloway for a 33-yard score to push the Gold advantage to 14 points. McMahan connected with
Jared Freeman for a 64-yard score at the start of the second half to shrink the lead again to 21-14. But that’s the closest the Maroon team would get because Eskridge just wouldn’t let up on the air barrage. Eskridge led an eight-play, 65yard drive by going 4-of-5 from the field for 45 yards ending in a 28-yard toss to Tanner to push the lead out to 27-14. Maroon defensive player Stephen Alexander stripped the ball away from Gold receiver Garrick McCray and returned the fumble for a TD, cutting the deficit to 27-21 to end the Maroon’s scoring. Gold defensive end Major Magee finished the game with six tackles, three pass breakups and a quarterback hurry, but
most importantly kept the Maroon team off the scoreboard on its final four possessions to seal the victory. Cody Hicks and Ty Duncan both finished with four tackles apiece for the Gold, while Maroon’s Austin Daniels tallied 11 tackles and a fumble recovery. Wesley Nakwaasah also chipped in eight tackles for the Maroon squad. Eskridge and the rest of the Mustangs are now done with spring activities and looks forward to summer workouts to get themselves ready for the regular season grind. The Mustangs open with New Mexico Highlands on Aug. 29 at Memorial Stadium. The start time is to be determined.
with the Indianapolis Colts and Joseph Addai. But now the former MSU Indian will be playing for the Buffalo Bills after signing a two-year deal last week to back up thirdyear rusher Marshawn Lynch and even start while Lynch serves a three-year suspension because of off-the-field issues. Rhodes is arriving in Buffalo camp along with former Dallas Cowboy wideout Terrell Owens, in hopes they can bring the Bills back into playoff legitimacy.
Polk also keeps his name in the news even after being released from the Dallas Cowboys last season. The National Football Foundation Gridiron Club of Dallas announced last week that former MSU Mustang QB Polk would be one of five college football scholar athletes honored at the club’s first banquet. Polk was a four-time all conference selection, two-time national player of the week and a First-Team All America as a se-
nior in 2007. The quarterback finished as the Mustangs’ all-time leading rusher and leader in total offense. Off the field, Polk participated in Feed a Family for Christmas and Thanksgiving and served as a coordinator for the Martin Luther King Jr. Highway clean up. He will earn a bachelors of science in respiratory care in May 2009, as he is continuing to take classes at Midwestern State University.
Walter routed Tiago Valarinho/ Daniel McMullan 8-0 at No. 1, Justin Raiti/Nick Arnold rolled over Vjekoslav Stipanic/Octavian Dinuta 8-3 at No. 2 and Bernard Lancaster/Boris Barrios doubled up Chad Meeks/Carlos Battaller 8-4 at No. 3. Midwestern fought back with a pair of singles wins, spearheaded by Stipanic’s 6-3, 6-1 decision over Powers at No. 1 while McMullan claimed a victory at No. 3 singles as Lancaster retired in the second set. St. Edward’s survived a pair
of split-set matches to finish off the Mustangs with Raiti edging Vilarinho 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 at No. 2 and Walter nudging Bataller 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 at No. 4. The Mustangs were leading at the Nos. 5 and 6 positions when the match was pulled off of the courts. Midwestern plays host to the Lone Star Conference Championships beginning a week from next Friday with matches set for the MSU, Hamilton Park and Weeks Park tennis centers. St. Edward’s, which has won
five of its last six matches, improved to 9-10 on the season. The women’s tennis team will also be hosting the LSC Tournament after dropping its last match of the regular season o Tarleton State. Faye D’Hamecourt and Alex Odell-Michels continue to be a dynamite doubles duo for No. 38 Midwestern State. But their effort were not enough Tuesday afternoon at the MSU Tennis Center as No. 16 Tarleton State rolled to a 7-2 Lone Star Conference victory.
D’Hamecourt and OdellMichels edged Natalia Yanes/ Melanie Zilles 8-5 at No. 1 doubles, but the TexAnns rallied to take the other two doubles’ contests to take control of the contest. Odell-Michels also battled Yanes, who is the No. 41-ranked singles’ player in NCAA Division II, to three sets at the No. 1 singles position before falling 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Colleen Kinser rolled past Zilles 6-3, 7-5 at No. 5 for the Mustangs’ lone singles’ win
while Holly Gunderson fought Evgeniya Prokofeva to three sets before succumbing 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. The TexAnns claimed straight-set wins in each of the other three singles’ contests for their third-straight win against NCAA Division II competition. Midwestern State plays host to the Lone Star Conference Championships beginning next Thursday at the MSU, Hamilton Park and Weeks Park tennis centers.
riders, who raced with the Men’s B, were able to take 2nd, Loren Eggenschwiler, 3rd, Tiffany Stewart, 4th, Mindy Burns, and 5th, Laura Whittle. As the fog cleared, more races began. MSU’s John Cope was able to take third in the Men’s C race. In the Women’s B race MSUs Angie Reay was able to take third with Amanda Eade taking sixth. After the races finished, the eight-mile loop used during the road race was then used for the second stage – a time trial, which is a race against
the clock and racers compete individually. Doviken took first for the Men’s A with a time of 16:55:52 and Short got second with 17:08:82. In the Overall standing, Doviken, Davis, and Elenz were able to maintain the top three. For the Women’s A, Tiffany timed in 20:29:18 taking second place with Loren at 21:56:65 for third. This left the overall standing remaining the same for Saturday. The Men’s B were able to take 1st, Sean brown with 18:51:25 and 3rd, Tyler Matthies with
19:00:61. For the Women’s B Josephine Eggenschwiler was able to take second with 24:14:22. For the Men’s C, Cope was able to grab sixth with a time of 20:59:79. After a long day on the road, racers got their one last chance to make up any time in the criterium which was held on Campus Sunday morning. A criterium is a race of multiple laps held on blocked off roads, in this case on campus. Men’s C category started the collegiate criteriums where
Cope was able to get fifth place in the criterium and fifth place in the General Classification. For the Women’s B race, Angie Reay got third and Josephine Eggenschwiler got fourth. Reay got third overall. For the Women’s A Tiffany Stewart got 1st and Loren Eggenschwiler, Mindy Burns and Laura Whittle filled in fourth-sixth. For the Men’s B, Tyler Matthies got 1st after breaking away only a few laps from the finish and teammate Sean Brown was able to capture second. In the Men’s A criterium, the top 6 positions were swept by MSU racers, Todd, Collin, Morten, Jason, McLean and Matt Fox, respectively. As a part of a stage race, all results are combined from the
three varies races and then winners are declared. MSU racers won the following titles in their categories. John Cope, fifth. Angie Reay, fourth. Sean Brown, 1st. Tyler Matthies, second. Matt Sauls, fourth. Loren Eggenschwiler, second. Tiffany Stewart third. Mindy Burns fourth. Laura Whittle fifth. Morten Døviken, 1st. Collin Davis, second. Todd Elenz, third. Jason Short, fourth. It was a great week for the MSU Cycling Team as they travel down to Austin this weekend April 25-26 for the Conference Championship. MSU is currently leading the Conference and plans to attend Collegiate Nationals May 8-10 in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Kaitlin Morrison For the Wichitan
West Texas A&M. The other half of the tournament will be played in Durant, Okla. Southeastern Oklahoma finished as the top seed in the LSC North Division and therefore gets to host the other half of the tournament. Southeastern will play Texas A&M Kingsville after Angelo State takes on Cameron. The winner of the two brackets will face the following weekend at a site to be determined to battle to be named the next Lone Star Conference Champion. The action from Abilene can be followed on live stats at msumustangs.com.
Former MSU standouts still making news Bobby Morris Sports Editor
While both Dominic Rhodes and Daniel Polk broke numerous records as a Midwestern State football team member, both continue to make news in the world of football. Rhodes has been a running back in the NFL ever since graduating from MSU as an undrafted free agent in 2001. The eight-year veteran rushed for 538 yards last season while in a running back committee
Patrick Johnston | The Wichitan
(Above) MSU quarterback Zack Eskridge drops back to pass during a late-season game against Eastern New Mexico. Eskridge looks to be in top form this spring throwing for four TD’s during the annual Spring Game last week. (Below) Former MSU standout Dominic Rhodes runs off the field after leading the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl victory two years ago with 100-plus yards rushing.
MCT
Men’s and women’s tennis teams limp into the LSC Tournament MSUMustangs.com For the Wichitan
No. 32 Midwestern State men’s tennis team battled back after suffering a doubles’ sweep to St. Edward’s, but the No. 23-ranked Hilltoppers held on for a 5-2 win Friday afternoon at the MSU Tennis Center. The loss is the fourth-straight for the Mustangs, who fell to 8-9 on the season. St. Edward’s claimed wins in each of the three doubles’ contests as Brett Powers/Mick
Men’s and women’s cycling team capitalize on cycling close to home Loren Eggenschwiler For the Wichitan
It was a great weekend for MSU to host a stage race for the South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference. With a foggy start in the road race Saturday, MSU was able to win 1st, Todd Elenz, 2nd, Collin Davis, 3rd, Morten Døviken, 5th, Jason Short, 7th, Matt Fox, and 8th, McLean Worsham in the NCCA Men’s A event. The Men’s B was able to capture 8th, Matt Sauls and places 11th, 13th, 14th and 16th. MSU Women’s A
MSU prepares for ACU
Matt fox, Jason Short and McLean Worsham with a few laps left in the criterium.
Loren Eggenschwiler | The Wichitan
The Midwestern State softball team heads into this week’s Lone Star Conference Championships as the fourth seed in the LSC north division. MSU (29-15) will face the home standing Abilene Christian Wildcats in the opening round of one of the doubleelimination four-team brackets to determine the participants in the next week’s best two out of three series to determine the conference champion. To start off the games in Abilene, the University of Central Oklahoma will face