PECOS ENTERPRISE

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SPORTS


August 13, 1996

Size, depth up for Eagles in `96

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By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer

The Pecos Eagles are not going to have any 6-foot plus spikers or
blockers on their front line this year - which is nothing different from
any other season the Eagles have gone through over past 15 years.
But Eagles' coach Nora Geron says at least in 1996, the Eagles will be
playing close to the same level as District 4-4A rivals like Andrews,
Big Spring and Fort Stockton, as they try to end a three-year absence
from the Class 4A playoffs.
"We have more height this year that at any time since Lori (Williams)
graduated," Geron said, referring to her 1991 squad, the last team with
at least average front line height among their upperclassmen. "We've had
a five-year drought where we've had nothing but 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-6
hitters."
Pecos did take the 4-4A title in 1992, but for the past couple of years,
the Eagles have watched their taller district rivals, especially Andrews
and Monahans, spike the ball past Pecos' shorter blockers and knock the
Eagles out of playoff competition in the second half of the district
schedule.
This year, Monahans is gone, having dropped down to Class 3A, while the
number of playoff qualifiers is up, from two to three for the first time
in Class 4A, though Geron is hoping her team can return to post-season
play without having to rely on the new format.
"If you shoot for third place and fall short, you've got nothing. If you
shoot for first and fall short, you still have a shot at the playoffs,"
she said.
Workouts began Monday afternoon for the varsity Eagles, and in terms of
experience, the 1996 squad is sort of backwards.
Geron has seven seniors practice right now, but of that group, only one,
setter/hitter Veronica Carrasco, was on the varsity last year.
Meanwhile, Pecos has five juniors who saw varsity action at one time or
another in 1995, mainly due to the need for front line players.
One who started last season up on the varsity was Lori Marquez. She was
the Eagles' No. 1 hitter until midway through district play, when she
was lost to grades. Geron then used several others on the front line,
including Gail Taylor, LaCrisha Molinar and Ivy Thorp in what ended up
as a 5-5 season in 4-4A play, and 15-13 overall.
"Lori's back for us and Gail looks like she's going to be strong," the
Eagles' coach said. "After that we've got Ivy, LaCrisha, Veronica,
Shirhona (Bell), Anna (Smallwood), Donna (Tarin) and Valerie (Lazcano).
All of them are out their trying for the same position."
Of that group, Bell is a junior while the last three are seniors. Geron
also said sophomore Sherrie Mosby has a chance to make the varsity
squad. "She's looking real strong, but I have her working with the
sophomores right now," Geron said.
Along with a lack of height, Geron has struggled to find a consistent
setter for most of the past few seasons. This year, she said junior
Marisol Tellez and seniors Elena Hinojos and Denise Camerena are among
the hopefuls. Tellez and Annette Marquez also figure to see action on
the back line for the Eagles.
"We really have strength everywhere for the first time in a long while,"
Geron said.
Unlike football and tennis, both of which have several weeks to prepare
for their first action, the volleyball team will have their first
scrimmage on Friday at Odessa Permian, starting at 5 p.m. The Eagles and
Panthers then come back to Pecos for an 11 a.m. scrimmage on Saturday,
where they'll be joined by the Snyder Tigers and Midland Lee Rebels,
before regular season play opens at home a week from today, with a dual
meet against Alpine and Odessa High.

Geron seeks location of two off state championship squad

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Pecos Eagles' coach Nora Geron is seeking information on two members of
her 1987 state championship volleyball team, which is scheduled to be
honored in November during this year's Class 4A state championships.
"I've gotten hold of everyone else except for Pam (Juarez) and Deanna
(Moreno)," Geron said Monday morning. The two were members of the 1987
team that won the state title with a 34-0 record, the last Class 4A team
to go undefeated through a season.
The team will be one of the five 1987 winners honored during the state
finals on Nov. 23 at Burger Center in Austin. Anyone with information on
Juarez or Moreno are asked to contact coach Geron at Pecos High School.

Jones gives record deal to Emmitt

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By DENNE H. FREEMAN
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas - Jerry Jones finally got it right.

It took three contract negotiations with Emmitt Smith before the Dallas
Cowboys owner realized he couldn't negotiate with his star running back
like it was an oil and gas deal.

Smith, twice involved in bitter contract disputes with Jones, got an
eight-year contract worth $48 million including an NFL-record $15
million bonus Monday.

``I learned from the last two times,'' Jones said. ``I made some
mistakes. And I learned from them.''

Smith refused to come to the Cowboys training camp his rookie year until
Jones settled just before the first game of the regular season. Smith
missed the first two games of the 1993 season, which the Cowboys lost,
before Jones realized he had miscalculated his running back's resolve
and quickly settled.

``No deal is ever easy,'' Smith said. ``Things went wrong the first two
times. Egos got involved. But Jerry did the right thing this time.

``I didn't want the whole elephant. I wanted to leave room for Jerry to
bring in other players.''

Jones wouldn't say how he manipulated the salary cap dollars to make the
deal. But he said the NFL would give it a green light.

``I think the NFL will be excited about it,'' Jones said.

Jones will get about a $500,000 rebate from the NFL on the salaries of
suspended Michael Irvin and Shante Carver. Smith will count about $3
million against the salary cap this year.

``This is going to cost us so much I may have to stop construction on my
house,'' Jones quipped.

Jones has been paying big bucks for his star players.

Quarterback Troy Aikman signed an eight-year deal worth $50 million,
which included an $11 million bonus. Deion Sanders signed a seven-year
contract worth a total $35 million, including a bonus of $12.999 million
last September.

Smith had challenged Jones to ``do the right thing.''

``Jerry did the right thing,'' Smith said. ``All of his words became
reality today. I had a lot of faith in Jerry.''

Smith has been the NFL's leading rusher four times and has been the NFL
MVP and a Super Bowl MVP.

``We're happy Emmitt is going to be with the Cowboys as long as he plays
the game of football,'' Jones said.

``I believe if you start something you finish it,'' Smith said. ``I
played all my football at one high school, at one college (Florida), and
I wanted to play all my professional football for the Dallas Cowboys.''

Smith's new agent, Eugene Parker, met secretly with Jones and his son,
Stephen.

``I didn't want anything to leak out,'' Smith said. ``And that was hard
for me to do because it's hard for me to shut my mouth.''

Said Coach Barry Switzer: ``Emmitt Smith will be one of the greatest
players to ever play the game. I'm damn happy.''

``Will you play tonight?'' a smiling Switzer asked Smith about the New
England preseason game.

``No,'' said a smiling Smith, who usually doesn't play until the last
two preseason games.

Smith, who was in the final year of his old contract, has rushed for
8,956 yards in just six seasons.

Asked if he can last the duration of his contract, Smith said, ``It's
going to be a test to see how I feel in another eight years. I think I
still have a lot of run left in me.''
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