University of South Carolina Libraries
‘ Gamecocks split matches with Tigers THE GAMECOCK For third time this season, the women’s cross country squad faced in-state rival Clemson. In this meeting, the Gamecocks would A split with the Tigers, defeating ® them in the Clemson Invitational but finishing behind them in the Championships. USC opened its season with the USC Cross Country. Invitational at Owens Field and finished second overall in the meet with a score of 42 points. Clemson was the only team that did better with a final of 32 points. However, Saturday would be the Gamecocks’ shot at tiger town to compete in the two events, the Clemson Invitational and the South Carolina Collegiate Championships. USC started the day off on the right note, edging the host team in its own invitational. Carolina finished second overall with a score of 54, while the Tigers claimed third with 58 points. Emory won the event, blowing past both squads with a final score of 39 points. The Gamecocks put up a strong performance as senior Jenny Lake finished second with a time of 18:16.70, just behind Clemson’s Casey Philips, who won the individual title with a time of 18:03.90. Freshman Amy Wike also placed in the top 10, claiming fourth place with a time of 18:41.10. Sophomore Tristan Rackow finished 14th, freshman Rebecca Chain came in 17th and junior Shay Shelton claimed 19th to be USC’s other top-20 finishers. USC graduate student Grace Wetzel has been running unattached at the recent meets USC has traveled to. She came in 15th overall. In the teams’ second matchup of the day, the field was limited to teams based out of South Carolina colleges. Along with USC and Clemson were Southern Wesleyan, Charleston Southern and South Carolina State. But it came down to the rivals again, as USC and Clemson both went neck and neck to the finish. In the end, the Tigers squeaked pass the Gamecocks with 26-29 win. Southern Wesleyan finished third with 92 points, followed by Charleston Southern with 108 and South Carolina State with 136. USC leads Clemson 3-1 in the head-to-head series this year. Comments on this story? E-mail gatnecockspttrts@givm.se. edu Rugby teams struggle for practice locations By MIQUELJACOBS THE GAMECOCK Despite the frustration with the lack of practice space, the men’s and women’s rugby teams have still found a way to field competitive teams. With marching band and other Qk activities taking priority on the small amount of practice fields, both teams have found their available practice times acceptable: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 to 11 p.m. on Blatt Field E. However, men’s coach Geoff Mason is thankful that Carolina at least has a team, given America’s general lack of knowledge on the sport. “Players learn the game when they get to college, which is a lot different than other places around the world,” Mason said. “In Australia you would learn around the age of 7, while kids over here learn around high school." The most foreign of sports, rugby 13 v^uiuuj gaming pupummj in America, and the USC men’s and women’s club teams hope to prove themselves two of the best up-and coming collegiate programs. Fresh off of a 15-8 spring season (the rugby schedule is split into a fall session and a spring session), the men’s club team hopes to improve even more and win its matrix again, comprised of Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech. The most important match for fans comes in the fall at Clemson on Nov. 20, the same day as the football game. Clemson traditionally fields one of the best regional teams, going 20-2 in both sessions last year. “We have to put a lot of kids in positions that just started playing, but we should do pretty well,” Mason said. “There’s a very difficult fall schedule with the University of Georgia and Clemson, but we should fare well.” Returning for the men’s team to help improve an already strong squad are seniors Jimmy Larson and Justin Czerski, along with juniors Andrew Czerski and James Witherspoon. These officers, along with sophomore Erik Geib, help lobby the university for funding, keep the team together, and recruit players in the fall, a few of whom are international students who already have knowledge of the sport. Given the size of USC, the players hope that more students will take an interest in the team either as competitors or spectators. The women’s rugby team is also looking for more acknowledgements. Under the guidance of Fritz, the women’s team has grown from 15 players last season to over 30 this season, helping to field and play more competitive teams this year. Leading the women’s team are juniors Rachel Reeves, Liz Skelly and Elaine Scruggs, along with sophomore returnees Paula Johns, Jessica Clohessy and Miranda Reilly. Hoping to improve from last years rebuilding team, the core of BRIEFS Hurricane Ivan stalls USC golf tournament The No. 20 USC men’s golf team stayed put in Columbia this weekend. The team was scheduled to travel down to Dalton, Ga. for the Carpet Capital Collegiate but because of Hurricane Ivan and the subsequent weather the tournament was rescheduled for the weekend of Nov. 4-6. Next on the team’s agenda is the Gary Koch Intercollegiate Oct. 10-12 in Tampa, Fla. THOMAS GIL8ERT/THE GAMECOCK The USC men's rugby team prepares for their fall season on Blatt practice field E. The rugby team will travel to Clemson on Nov. 20. returning players have recruited vigorously, landing freshman captain Danielle Tice along with the 25 other new players. “Last year we barely had enough players to field a team,” Fritz said. “This season is a whole new ballgame. We’re already teaching them all how to play, so once we get some games under our belt, it’s only going to go up from here.” The returning leaders are credited with finding the new interested players, as Reeves and Clohessy used every avenue to recruit, including making flyers, word of mouth and holding a space at the USC Organizational Fair. Much like the men’s team, the university provides funding for the club team, along with the payment of dues, of which a portion goes to USA Rugby, and any sponsorships that can be attained. Despite having no home matches set for the fall session, the women’s team hopes that the schedule will provide a foundation for fielding at least one strong team in the spring. Players encourage all fans to travel to Clemson one day early and see the two women’s rugby teams battle it out the day before the men’s rugby and football teams battle. In the meantime, Mason and Fritz both have a message for interested student: Come play! Full schedules and locations can be found on www.uscrugby.com. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecoeksports@gwm.sc. edu _ September 20-24 • 1st floor lobby of the Russell House • 1 lam-4 pm LM OTERO/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, bottom, is sacked by Texas A&M’s David Ross in the first half in College Station, Texas. Whitehurst threw three interceptions in the Tigers’ 27-6 loss to A&M. Clemson continues fall from grace against A&M By JOEL ANDERSON THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Courtney Lewis watched Texas A&M’s last game from his apartment, resting his bruised and beaten body after a summer of grueling practices and a rugged loss at Utah. It was then the Aggies’ tailback decided to dish out a little pain of his own the next time he got to play. He did Saturday night, with, 165 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries to lead Texas A&M to a surprising 27-6 rout of Clemson. “I had a little urge to come back out and make a statement that I’m still here," Lewis said. “I still have my running ability no matter what happens. I had a little adversity but I came back strong.” Lewis looked as good as ever after missing last week’s game against Wyoming, Reggie McNeal had 307 yards of offense and skillfully directed the offense, and the Aggies’ defense overwhelmed Clemson’s no-huddle offense. For the first time in a long time, Texas A&M resembled the aggressive,' tenacious team that was a Big 12 power in the 1990s. “This can be a big stepping stone for our program,” A&M offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner said. Thought to be a contender for the ACC title this season, Clemson (1-2) took its second straight defeat to an unranked team. The Tigers were ranked No. 20 before last week’s loss to Georgia Tech. “We didn’t create anything to change the momentum,” Clemson coach Tommy Bowden said. “This is the worst we’ve looked on both sides of the ball.” The Aggies (2-1) may finally be able to reclaim the “Wrecking Crew” moniker after hounding Clemson quarterback Charlie Whitehurst into one of his worst performances. A&M coach Dennis Franchione had stripped his defense of the nickname following a string of embarrassing performances last season. A&M has allowed six points in its past two games, including a 31 0 win over Wyoming last week. That’s the Aggies’ lowest two game total in five years. Whitehurst, the ACC’s leading passer, finished 20-of-36 for 192 yards with three interceptions and a touchdown. He was sacked five times and chased around all night. Clemson was held to 250 yards, its lowest total since Georgia limited the Tigers to 199 yards in the 2003 season opener. “We could have at least made it a game if we had shown up,” Whitehurst said. “We just had guys not show up, and I’m probably number one on that list." A&M’s offense was almost as impressive as its defense, rolling up more than 500 yards and committing no turnovers for a second straight week. Lewis, who last year became the first 1,000-yard rusher at A&M since Dante Hall in 1998, had his first 100-yard game of the season. McNeal ran for a career high 129 yards and completed 14 of 26 passes for 178 yards. The next month won’t get any easier for the Tigers. Clemson has ACC road trips to No. 8 Florida State and No. 12 Virginia over the next three weeks.