Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 13

Thursday, February 11, 1988 Mattoon, (11.) Journal Gazette B-l Oakland's Craft leads scoring race. B2 Whitey defends trade for DeLeon. B3 Illinois signs only 7 recruits. B4 EIU signs 19 grid recruits mmmmtmmmmm r' By CARL WALWORTH Staff Writer r- 1988 Panther football recruiting crop Name HT WT' POS HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOLJC) Jeff Brewster 6-3 220 OLDL Seneca Richard Brown 6-4 205 TELB Belleville East Jason Cook 5-10 160 WRDB Jacksonville Dan Dee 6-2 230 DLOL Springfield Griffin BradFichtel 6-3 230 OLDL Oswego Chad Gardner 6-4 235 OLDL Princeville Rod Heard 6-0 190 D3 Detroit (BenedictineJoliet JC) BobHowarth 6-2 215 TELB Elmhurst York Dan Jackson 6-3 215 DL Palatine Fremd Jamie Jones 5-8 160 RB Keval, KY (W. Paducah Heath) Kent Mclntyre 6-3 240 VDL Calvert City, KY (Marshall County) Jeff Miles 5-11 165 RB New Palestine, IN Tim Moore 6-3 230 TE Evansville, IN (Harrison) Brian Morrisey 6-0 185 WRDB Countryside (LaGrange Lyons) MikePetrie 5-10 170 WRDB Sycamore Brian Pindar 6-3 205 PPK Downers Grove (North) Dan Purcell 6-6 235 OL Salem JimSarver 6-3 240 DLLB Palatine (FremdHarper CC) EricThorsen 6-3 235 OL Minooka (Joliet JC) CHARLESTON Sixteen preps and three junior college transfers signed national letters of intent Wednesday to play football at Eastern.

Included in the group are nine linemen, six receivers and two running backs. "The areas we tried to focus on were the offensive and defensive lines," EIU head coach Bob Spoo said. "And we felt we had to have some skilled players, to bring in some players with speed. We think we solved most of the problems we had." Receivers Jason Cook of Jacksonville and running back Jeff Miles of New Palestine, both have been timed in 10.7 seconds in the 100 meters. Spoo said receiver Brian Morrisey of LaGrange never has been beaten in the 60-meter dash.

The junior college recruits, two linemen and a defensive back, will be expected to contribute immediately. "The reason to recruit junior college players is to come in and make an impact immediately," Spoo said. "With the freshmen there are a lot of variables." Last year EIU redshirted 21 of 26 freshmen recruits. The five who played made major contributions. EIU also has two junior college receivers who are on campus now and will participate in spring drills.

They are Rob Galliart from Butler JC in Kansas and Marcus O'Neal, who was an EIU recruit two years ago under former coach AlMolde. Another area of emphasis was tight end. Spoo planned on recruiting two but took three because they are quality athletes who are versatile. With punter Steve Tillotson and kicker Rich Ehmke graduating the Panthers recruited Brian Pindar as a punterkicker. He also was a high school quarterback.

Spoo said Pindar is similar to Tillotson's size "and reminds me of Jeff Gossett in stature." He will get some competition from players already on the team but will get a good opportunity to win both kicking positions. The coach didn't take a quarterback because he didn't think it was necessary, "and I never thought I would say that." Lady Wave vs. CHS, enough said? Sun-Times special mention all-area and Arlington Heights Daily Herald all-area and all-Mid-Suburban North Conference pick. Jackson led Palatine Fremd into the Class 6A playoffs by recording 10 quarterback sacks, 40 solo tackles, braking up five passes and blocking a punt. Mike Petrie of Sycamore and Cook are two other wide receivers who "have great quickness and speed, characteristics we felt we had to have," Spoo said.

The largest prep lineman signed is 6-6, 240 Dan Purcell from Salem, vho was picked to the Southern II-inoisan's all-Southern Illinois team. Three other linemen are Jeff Brewster, Brad Fichtel and Chad Gardner. "I can't say enough about the fantastic recruiting effort by our staff," Spoo said. "They did the job with integrity and professionalism. They were up front with all the young men and sold our program and the university effectively.

'I would predict when the time comes most of these recruits will say they committed to EIU because they liked the coaches and the people they came in contact with during their visit," Spoo said. "Everyone from the academic community who helped to sell the institution are to be equally commended for their efforts on our behalf." Spoo said the Panthers filled several needs with a smaller group than they signed a year ago. Not all received full scholarships, but this class does bring EIU close to the limit of 65 scholarships. "This group has intelligence, character and athletic ability, all of the elements that allow football players the opportunity to be successful," Spoo said. "In most instances this year, we were looking for players to fill specific needs but interspersed in the group are some young men we took simply because of their outstanding athletic ability." For the first time Eastern signed' two recruits from Kentucky.

Jamie Jones, a 5-8, 160 running back from West Paducah Heath, ran for 3,330 yards in two years and will play in a Kentucky all-star game. Heath was small-school state champ in 1986 and has a two-year combined record of 23-4. The other Kentuckian is 6-3, 240 defensive lineman Kent Mclntyre, a three-year starter from Calvert City (Marshall County), who will also play in the summer all-star game. "That's not that far from our border," Spoo said of the Kentucky recruits. "There are packs of tremendous talent there.

That's right in Murray State's area. We took two individuals right out of their backyard, and they wanted them both. Kentucky is an area we will continue to go into," though Il linois players remain the focus of EIU recruiting. The three junior college transfers, all of whom will enroll in the fall, are Ron Heard, a 6-foot, 190-pound defensive back; Eric Thorsen, a 6-3, 265 offensive lineman and Jim Sarver, a 6-3, 240 defensive lineman. Two Indiana preps, both of whom will compete in the summer high school all-star game, are Miles, a 5-11, 165 running back and Tim Moore, a 6-3, 230 tight end.

Miles led the state in scoring (35 touchdowns) and was second in rushing (2,080 yards). He also was a consensus first-team all stater and Region 8 most valuable player. His New Palestine team finished 11-3 and reached the Class 3A (out of five classes) semifinals. Moore is an Evansville Courier two-time all-city tight end and defensive end. He's also a team captain in basketball and football.

Two other tight ends are Richard Brown from Belleville East and Bob Howarth of Elmhurst York. The Panthers ulanded twid -of dSwnsdteHltndiS' i'lrip athletes; Dan Dee, a' 6-2; 230 lineman from Springfield Griffin. Dee was a Chicago Tribune first-team all stater and was named one of the top 100 seniors by the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette. He was a two-way all city lineman. Dan Jackson, a 6-3, 215.1ineman, is one of the top prospects from the Chicago area.

He" is a Chicago 9 a Spoo (R) with offensive Eastern can now CHARLESTON Eastern football coaches don't have to keep quiet about this recruiting class any longer. It's a good thing, too, because coach Bob Spoo's staff has been holding its breath for three weeks now after putting together an extraordinary recruiting feat. The recruits the Panthers signed Wednesday committed to Eastern anywhere from two-to-three weeks ago, some as far back as early January. "We did not have any recruits on campus the last two weekends," Spoo said Wednesday. "In my experience everywhere else those haye some of jthe biggest weekends." The coaches are gagged by the NCAA not to announce verbal commitments.

They wouldn't make too big a deal of their success anyway in case some people were persuaded to change their mind at the last minute. With one exception the commitments have remained, a tribute to Spoo and his staff. As an example of EIU's success consider that most schools sign about a third of those who visit campus. Eastern signed about half of the 40 or so who made official visits. It's understandable why good student-athletes stayed with early decisions to attend Eastern.

Spoo's program isn't one where there's much middle ground. You're either going to like the way things are run or you aren't. If you're the sort to be impressed by Spoo's straight-forward, disciplined style, then you won't have to look around much. "We tried to sell academics and the emphasjs we place on it," Spoo said. "We stressed our class attendance policy.

We stressed our study table policy. We stressed the reason they're coming to Eastern is to get a degree." The first part of each visit was with academic advisors. Later came an explanation of the football program which demands unselfishness and team play. "Athletically the winning tradition played an important role," Spoo said. The prospects were told Eastern has "a realistic chance to win a national championship in Division I-AA." 7 p.m.

today Mattoon Regional Mattoon (21-1) vs, Charleston- (17-7) Marion Regional J- Harrisburg (21-4) vs. Marion (21-4) West Frankfort Regional West Frankfort (11-9) vs. Herrin (11-13) Salem Regional Olney (18-5) vs. Centralia (19-7) 1 a vp backs coach Dino Babers coaches shout Carl Walworth And it does. The Panthers have consisently fielded playoff teams even though some other Gateway Conference schools have advantages, including better facilities.

Athletes who make a decision based on the looks of a weight room wouldn't be interested in Spoo's program anyway. "We pointed out that if facilities determined success of a program, why haven't some schools in our league won the national championship," Spoo said. "It's not facilities, it's people. We stressed the importance of being around good people." Spoo said he doesn't think Eastern lost any recruits to another Gateway school. The Panthers took two Paducah-area players away from Murray State and beat some Division I schools such as Missouri with players such as Salem's Dan Purcell.

The lone defection was Steve Mueller, a receiver from Valparaiso, Ind. He committed to Eastern then decided to go to Illinois when new UI coach John Mackovic offered a scholarship. Mueller did not get a scholarship offer from former Illini coach Mike White. No EIU recruits are affected by Proposition 48, the NCAA rule that sets minimum standards for freshman eligibility. "We're not going to do that," Spoo sajd, recalling that EIU lost five, players last year because of academics.

"We're going to be comfortable in the knowledge our guys are going to be on the field and be coached." That's why EIU recruiting went so well. The coaches knew what they were looking for. So did the athletes. Effingham Sectional Monday 6:30 p.m.-Mattoon Regional winner vs. Marion Regional winner 1 Game 2-West Frankfort Regional winner vs.

Salem Regional winner Thursday 7 p.m.-championship. game for trip to Feb. 23 Collinsville Sectional against Cahokia Sectional winner at 7 p.m. 1982 at Mattoon: Mattoon 62, Olney 51 1983 at Mattoon: Mattoon 64, Effingham 55 1984 at Charleston: Mattoon 49, Paris39 1985 at Paris: Mattoon 51, Charleston 45 1986 at Charleston: Mattoon 53, Effingham 49 1987: at Effingham: Mattoon 57, Effingham 54 pi By BRIAN NIELSEN tJUUl 111 ILVI MATTOON Shoot yes, they'll still play if school is snowed out today. On the practical side, traveling on Route 16 from Charleston to Mattoon may be safer by this evening than it would be for buses early this morning.

To elaborate, one team might 'v J- i 1 -t walk the 12 or so miles to play this game. Mattoon and Charleston are set to play at 7 p.m. today for the Mattoon Class AA Regional girls basketball championship at Green Wave Gym. If the roads allow, CHS is com-Ing. Mattoon is going to be waiting.

This after all could become the biggest win in the Lady Trojans' history. They could for sure break their ul swivt ffn tnrtct wine pvpn MHS' Andrea Pierson chases down loose place game does not turn out to De a forfeit win oyer Mt.zton. Charleston is 17-7 on the court, maybe 18-7 overall if the Apollo Tourney game Mt. Zion didn't make is ruled a forfeit. The 1984-85 Lady Trojans were 17-9.

Bigger than that, they could end Mattoon's perfect record in girls regionals and the Lady Green Wave's record-setting season. Mattoon, why it doesn't have much at stake. Just keeping the eareer of coach Dwight Perry going. And remaining the state's only team that has won a regional title all 12 years of the IHSA girls tourney series. And equaling its-winningest girls basketball season.

And taking another step toward its first Elite Eight berth since 1979. Ranked 13th in the state, Mattoon is 20-L The program's previous best was 22-3 in 1980-81. "This is the time of year when I have to conrol myself and keep from over-coaching," said Perry, who hap said this llth season with the Lady Wave will be his last. tfiloLtiiMlgasK i Photo by Jay Kimball ball against Paris just planning on going down there and playing a ball game." Perry, meanwhile, will have his girls keeping close track of Charleston's 6-foot forward Heather Landrus, averaging 15.4 points, and 5-8 center Rhonda Ritz, averaging 12.5. "We certainly can't let Landrus have the shots (Paris' Amy) Payne took," said Perry, looking back to Monday's 60-47 semifinal win over Paris.

"I consider both good shooters." Mattoon beat Charleston 6640 on Dec. 2, a game both coaches feel was too long ago to matter now. Last year the Lady Wave won a regular season meeting 64-46 before barely edging out a 4844 first-round regipnal win. "We just need to play the way we have all season. We feel the conference we play in, the Big 12, has been a good experience for us getting ready for this." Perry knows he doesn't have to come up with any special game plans.

"We're trying to concentrate on playing our ball game," he said. "It's a case of where they have to stop Barb (Blume) and Steph (Newman) if possible." That's no secret, but no one has figured out how to do it yet Blume, Mattoon's 5-foot-10 guard-forward, is averaging 25.1 points, per game. She i on a roll with games of 42, 29, 27, 29, 30 anu 29. Newman, the 6-foot center, is averaging 21.7 points and 14.9 rebounds. i "We're Yiot going to take anything away from Mattoon and the caliber of team they are," Charleston coach John Easter said.

"We know how good Newman and Blume are. They've got a good outside gamQ, they've got a good inside game and they've got a good fastbreak. The key for us is we've got to play a real hard game and hope that's good enough. "All the elements are there. I know Mattoon is ranked in the state.

I know they've set almost every record there is at Mattoon this year. I know Mattoon has never lost a regional. There's a lot of elements going for Mattoon. But our kids have a lot of pride. We're Scores of Mattoon's 11 regional title games.

1977 at Cumberland: Mattoon 42, Robinson 33 1978 at Areola: Mattoon 90, Ar-cola54 1979 at Tolono: Mattoon 59, Areola 42 1980 at Newton: Mattoon 61, Charleston 33 .1981 at Effingham: Mattoon 86, Olney 55.