Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide for Reeves County, Trans-Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

Sports

Tuesday, January 27, 1998

Applications received for Eagles' grid job

By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Jan. 27 -- Two more coaches within the
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD system have submitted their
applications for the vacant Pecos Eagles head football
coaching job.

With two days remaining for applications to be returned, the
number of people seeking to fill the post has climbed to
eight, according to Frances Gomez, secretary to
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD personnel director Gome Olibas.

The head coaching job became open earlier this month, when
new P-B-T superintendent Don Love reassigned head coach and
athletic director Mike Belew to principal at Zavala Middle
School. Belew's job as athletic director was given to
longtime varsity baseball coach Bubba Williams.

Varsity assistant coach Mike Ferrell and Zavala Middle
School coach Jerry Parent submitted their names over the
past two days, Gomez said. Ferrell is the second of Belew's
varsity assistants to apply for the job. He joins Dan Swaim,
who put in his application last week, along with former
Eagles' assistant coach Steele Ewing and Ronnie White,
currently coaching in the El Paso ISD.

Also returning applications were ex-Eagles sub varsity coach
Fernando Hernandez, now an assistant coach in Fabens, Pecos
High School teacher John Barfield, and Randy Hicks, the
former Kermit Yellowjackets head coach.

A ninth application, sent out to Manuel Valles, who is
currently coaching in the Laredo ISD, has not yet been
returned, Gomez said.

Both Love and Belew cited "philosophical differences" for
the Jan. 6 change, and Love named longtime Eagles' baseball
coach Bubba Williams as interim athletic director.

Applications will be taken through next Wednesday after
which they will be reviewed by Love and Williams before
making a recommendation to P-B-T school board members.

Eagles hunting road victories in Sweetwater

PECOS, Jan. 27 -- Sweetwater may not be the best place to
either try and start or extend a winning streak, but that's
what the Pecos Eagles will try to do tonight, when they take
on the Sweetwater Mustangs in 6 and 7:30 p.m. games.

Pecos' girls, who need at least one win this week to stay in
the playoff race, will face a Sweetwater team that just tied
Andrews for first in the District 4-4A standings. After
that, Pecos' boys will try to end an 0-for-4 skid in
district play against the Mustangs, who fell out of first
with a loss in Andrews Friday night.

The girls come off their biggest win in seven years, a 73-23
victory over Fort Stockton last Friday. But the Eagles still
are in fifth place with a 2-4 district mark, 12-11 overall.

Earlier this month, they led Sweetwater for most of the
first half and were down by just six after three quarters,
when the Mustangs broke things open and won, 51-35. Vanessa
Lehrmann had 15 of her 19 points in the second half, while
Lorie Marquez was the only Eagle in double figures with 11.

That was the first of five straight wins for Sweetwater,
including Friday's 50-39 victory at Andrews. But Eagles
coach Brian Williams said his team will be better prepared
this time around. "Last time, I didn't have any videotape
from last year, so I didn't know what to expect. This time,
I know what they're going to run, so we can adjust for it
better."

The boys will be facing a Sweetwater team that's not as
strong as last year's Class 4A state semifinalists, but
still have district MVP Derrick Franklin, who had 19 in
Friday's 68-65 loss at Andrews. It left the Mustangs with a
3-1 mark in 4-4A play.

Pecos is 0-4 after their 50-43 loss at home to Fort
Stockton, and coach Mike Sadler said his team needs to be
more unified if they're to have a shot at turning things
around in district. The Eagles were outscored down the
stretch of both halves by the Panthers 29-8, after Pecos had
outplayed Fort Stockton in the first and third quarters.

Midweek baseball trips ahead for Pecos

PECOS, Jan. 27 -- Midweek road trips will be the norm for
the Pecos Eagles baseball team in their upcoming 1998 season.

All of the Eagles' District 4-4A road games will be on
Tuesdays this season, including their district opener on
March 24 at Sweetwater, and the following Tuesday, when
Pecos takes another 210-mile trip, this one to San Angelo
Lake View. The Sweetwater game will be a 7:30 p.m. start
while the game at light-less Lake View will begin at 4 p.m.

Pecos' season begins on Feb. 23 with a home game against the
Monahans Loboes, followed three days later by the first
round of the Sandhills Tournament in Monahans. Before then,
the Eagles also have home scrimmages on Feb. 9 and 17
against Kermit and Odessa Permian, and one final pre-season
scrimmage, on Feb. 21 at Midland High.

The season opener against the Loboes is the Eagles' lone
home game in the first month of the season. They'll close
out pre-district play back in Pecos on March 16 against the
Crane Golden Cranes, and their 4-4A schedule includes Friday
night contests against Andrews, Big Spring and Fort Stockton
and Saturday afternoon games against Sweetwater and Lake
View.

The Eagles' junior varsity also opens their season at home
on Feb. 23 against Monahans, and then they and Pecos'
freshman team will host their own tournament on Feb. 26-28.
The tournament has been expanded from eight to 10 teams this
season with the addition of Big Spring and Lake View, whom
the JV will face in their tournament opener. The ninth
graders will be in the other half of the tournament bracket,
and will take on Fort Stockton in their first game.

The JV will also compete in the Big Spring Tournament just
before their season ends in April, and will play
home-and-home doubleheaders against the Steers. The freshmen
also have two doubleheaders scheduled, at Fort Stockton and
Andrews.

Pecos Eagles' 1998 Varsity Baseball Schedule

February
|9 (Mon.) - Kermit (scrimmage) ..........5 p.m.
17 (Tue.) - Odessa Permian (scrimmage) ..........4 p.m.
21 (Sat.) - at Midland High (scrimmage) ..........11 a.m.
23 (Mon.) - Monahans ..........7 p.m.
26-28 (Thu.-Sat.) - at Monahans Tournament..........Times TBA

March
|5 (Thur.) - at Kermit..........7 p.m.
|6 (Fri.) - at Monahans ..........7 p.m.
12-14 (Thu.-Sat.) - at Snyder Tournament..........Times TBA
16 (Mon.) - Crane ..........7 p.m.
24 (Tue.) - *at Sweetwater..........7:30 p.m.
27 (Fri.) - *Andrews..........7:30 p.m.
31 (Tue.) - *San Angelo Lake View..........4 p.m.

April
|3 (Fri.) - *Big Spring..........7:30 p.m.
|7 (Tue.) - *at Fort Stockton..........7:30 p.m.
11 (Sat.) - *Sweetwater ..........1 p.m.
14 (Tue.) - *at Andrews ..........7:30 p.m.
18 (Sat.) - *San Angelo Lake View..........1 p.m.
21 (Tue.) - *at Big Spring..........5 p.m.
24 (Fri.) - *Fort Stockton..........7:30 p.m.

Pecos Eagles JV Baseball Schedule

February

17 (Tue.) - at Odessa Permian ..........4 p.m.
21 (Sat.) - Midland High ..........11 a.m.
23 (Mon.) - Monahans..........5 p.m.
27-28 (Fri.-Sat.) - Pecos Tourn. (vs. SA Lake
View)..........4 p.m.

March

|5 (Thur.) - at Kermit ..........4:30 p.m.
|7 (Sat.) - at Big Spring (2)..........1 p.m.
17 (Tue.) - Ft. Stockton..........7 p.m.
20 (Fri.) - Andrews..........6 p.m.
24 (Tue.) - at Ft. Stockton ..........7 p.m.
28 (Sat.) - Big Spring (2) ..........1 p.m.
31 (Tue.) - Ft. Stockton ..........7 p.m.

April
2-4 (Thur.-Sat.) - at Big Spring Tour...........Times TBA
|7 (Tue.) - Van Horn ..........6 p.m.

Pecos Eagles Freshman Baseball Schedule

February
20 (Fri.) - at Midland High ..........5 p.m.
26-28 (Thur.-Sat.) - Pecos Tourn. (vs. Ft.
Stockton)..........4 p.m.

March
|6 (Fri.) - at Monahans ..........5 p.m.
|7 (Sat.) - Kermit ..........1 p.m.
17 (Tue.) - Ft. Stockton ..........5 p.m.
21 (Sat.) - at Ft. Stockton (2)..........1 p.m.
24 (Tue.) - Ft. Stockton ..........5 p.m.
28 (Sat.) - at Andrews (2)..........1 p.m.
31 (Tue.) - Fort Stockton ..........5 p.m.

April
|6 (Fri.) - Crane .......... 5 p.m.

Elway key to Denver's fate in `98

By BARRY WILNER
AP Football Writer
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 27 -- This is one Super Bowl title the
winners will really savor.

After gaining the reputation as super losers, after four
flops in which they were overwhelmed long before the fourth
quarter, the Denver Broncos resoundingly put their
ignominious championship past to rest. Their 31-24 victory
over the heavily favored defending champion Green Bay
Packers featured everything a champion can display:
versatility, resourcefulness, intelligence, guts. Oh yes,
and talent.

Are the Broncos good enough to be back next year in Miami,
trying to start a winning streak for the AFC after snapping
the conference's humiliating 13-year slide in the Super
Bowl?

``Sure,'' tight end Shannon Sharpe said. ``In the past, when
the Broncos came to this game, they didn't have the players
we have now. They didn't surround John (Elway) with a
running game like we have and a line like we have and a
defense like we have.''

But will the Broncos be surrounding Elway with anything next
season, or will he be lounging in retirement? Elway, the
winningest quarterback in regular season games, played 14
seasons and lost three Super Bowls before he finally could
-- in his mind -- be placed among the elite of the game.

``To finally come and show them is unbelievable,'' he said.
``That was the ultimate win, no question.

``You wonder if you're going to run out of years. But,
fortunately, I hung on. All the questions we've been
answering for the last umpteen years, it makes it that much
sweeter.''

The biggest question for Elway is whether to leave on top.
He said he will discuss it with his family and teammates,
but coach Mike Shanahan said he would be ``very surprised if
John doesn't come back.''

If he doesn't, it leaves a gaping hole on a Broncos team not
deeply threatened by free agency, but certainly aging in key
areas. His backups are journeyman Bubby Brister and unproven
Jeff Lewis.

The offensive line which performed so well in the playoffs
has four players with at least 10 years in the league and
one with nine. Key defensive personnel such as ends Neil
Smith (a free agent) and Alfred Williams, linebacker Bill
Romanowski and safeties Tyrone Braxton and Steve Atwater are
well-worn.

But there also is a solid foundation for the future in Super
Bowl MVP Terrell Davis, an All-Pro running back the last two
years; Sharpe and wide receivers Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey;
center Tom Nalen; linebackers John Mobley and Allen
Aldridge; defensive tackles Maa Tanuvasa and Keith Traylor.

And, of course, Shanahan, one of the game's most astute and
diligent coaches.

``No one gave us a chance, and look what we did,'' Sharpe
said. ``We shocked the world. But we didn't shock the Denver
Broncos.

``We can do this again. We were a wild card. We had to go to
Pittsburgh and win; we had to go to Kansas City and win;
then we had to play Green Bay in a neutral site. We'd
already been to hell and back. This was the easy part.''

Actually, it's the Packers who might have the easier road
back. The competition is fiercer at the top in the AFC.
Green Bay doesn't have to worry about Favre retiring, and it
also has the strong groundwork.

But Green Bay is more threatened by free agency. It needs to
re-sign running back Dorsey Levens, who blossomed this year,
as well as restricted free agent Antonio Freeman, the
big-play receiver Favre needs, and cornerback Doug Evans.

The Packers can't afford to lose Holmgren, who has been
rumored to be the object of Seattle's affections for big
money and a dual role of coach-general manager.

While the Packers have some age in several areas -- DE
Reggie White, linebacker Seth Joyner, safety Eugene
Robinson, center Frank Winters -- they have done a wonderful
job retooling even as they remained a contender.

And now they have an added incentive.

``This will hurt us right into next year,'' tight end Mark
Chmura said.

``When you lose a game like this,'' added Robinson, ``you're
thinking about only one thing: How do I get back here and
win it the next time?''

Jones reportedly set to pick coach

FORT WORTH, Jan. 27 -- Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says
he's close to announcing who will be the next coach of the
National Football league team, according to a published
report.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported today that Jones was
so busy interviewing candidates on Monday at San Diego that
he interviewed one candidate in his hotel room while another
waited downstairs in the hotel bar.

Jones has met with former San Francisco 49ers coach George
Seifert, former UCLA coach Terry Donahue and Green Bay
Packers offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis.

``I haven't made anybody an offer,'' Jones said Monday
night. ``We recognize in order to make decisions regarding
our staff it's important to be as timely as we can.''

Lewis, 55, said he doesn't know when or if he'll meet again
with Jones, who has been looking for a head coach since
Barry Switzer resigned Jan. 9.

``That's up to Jerry,'' Lewis said. ``It's in his court.''

The owner, who was scheduled to return to Dallas late
Monday night, said he would continue talks today in person
or on the telephone with his candidates. He said he has
contacted all the candidates he is interested in, an
indication he has no plans to seek permission to talk to
Denver offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak about the
head-coaching position.

Jones started his day with a breakfast interview with Lewis
and followed that with a second face-to-face meeting with
Seifert, whom he interviewed last week, and then had a late
lunch with Donahue, another candidate he met with last week.

``It was a very good day for the Dallas Cowboys,'' Jones
said of his progress in finding a coach.

Jones has spent more time with Donahue than with the other
candidates.

Donahue was coach at UCLA when Troy Aikman was quarterback
for the Bruins.

``He brings a lot to the table,'' Jerry Jones said of
Donahue. ``It's really neat to see Terry's enthusiasm not
only for the NFL but for the Dallas Cowboys.''

Donahue told The Dallas Morning News Monday that his lack
of NFL coaching experience shouldn't be a serious problem.

``I look at the last two Cowboys coaches (Switzer and Jimmy
Johnson), and neither had NFL experience, and that's a
pretty good indication of the chemistry and commitment of
this team and organization.

``I feel I'm capable of doing the same thing,'' said
Donahue, who has worked as a color analyst on college
football for CBS the past two years.

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