Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 17

SfOETS v. Horse racing Harness racing results from Martinsville PAGE C5 Local auto racing previews SATURDAY MATTDON (ILL) JOURNAL GAZETTE WWW.JG-TC.COM SECTION Zunkel settles in after stormy welcome nl mmmmmmmmmmm 'J' 1 By RICK DAWSON Staff Writer MATTOON On the weekend Nat Zunkel moved to Mattoon, a severe thunderstorm swept through the area. It wasn't exactly the introduction he and his family had dreamt about. "That storm was just freaking everybody out, lightning and thunder all night," he said. "In Chicago the weather moves quick.

Down here it seems like that weather just stayed there. And then the next two days it was like 95 degrees. So my wife thought we were in hell." Eventually, Zunkel, wife Sandy -who had everything unpacked and in place within three days and their three children discovered that, among other things in Mattoon, there is always change. The weather at Zunkel's June football camp, for instance, has been mainly seasonable. Not until Thursday did the Ken TrevarthanStaff Photographer Mattoon High School football coach Nat Zunkle brings his freshmaryplayers together for a talk at the end of Thursday morning's practice session at the school In Mattoon.

7HTT humidity become truly uncomfortable one change he didn't mind at all. The past two weeks have given the Green Wave's football coach a chance to interact with his new team for the first time What he has to work with is a group of about 75 players, nearly 50 of them freshmen and sophomores, who have begun speed training and strength conditioning and plan to do so through every July day Zunkel has available, per IHSA guidelines. Mattoon still has a 10-team, 7-on-7 camp scheduled to take place July 12. For someone who has spent years in Chicago, the numbers aren't status quo. At Elmhurst York, Zunkel's last stop as an assistant, average attendance usually topped 200.

He and his staff, therefore, have been persistent this summer in selling CAMPC4 ft Vi Lee News Service DeWolf said he most recently heard from Minnesota State recruiting Cobb, who had also received interest from North Carolina. "It was a lot of schools coming in, a lot of D-I's," Cobb said. "They were interested for a while but I think they were concerned because of my height. Eastern tried to work with me and do whatever they could to get me in. That's another thing I liked.

They showed a lot of interest late in the game." Eastern safety Adrian Arrington, who played for Cobb's high school intercity rival Bloomington, also played a part in getting the former All-Big 12 Conference player from Normal to Eastern. In what he brings to the Panthers Cobb said: "I would say I'm a smart player. I don't make too many bad decisions. My strengths are my instincts and being aggressive." Starting with games against Football Bowl Subdivision teams Central Michigan and Illinois and then getting a chance against hometown college Illinois State, Cobb is looking to prove himself to those who left him taking the junior college route to Eastern. "It was a learning experience," he said.

"It made me walk around with chip on my shoulder, being overlooked out of high school and junior college." Contact Brian Nielsen at or 238-6856. VI il MS Associated Press NBA commissioner David Stem, left, poses with number one draft pick Derrick Rose, who was picked by the Chicago Bulls, during the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Thursday. Bulls pick Rose NEW YORK (AP) The Chicago Bulls selected Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday night, choosing the Memphis guard over Kansas State forward Michael Beasley. Rose, a Chicago native, led the Tigers to the national championship game in his lone college season.

The Bulls opted for the point guard's playmaking ability over the scoring and rebounding of Beasley, who ranked in the top three in the nation in both categories as a freshman. Rose is the Bulls' first No. 1 overall selection since they grabbed Elton Brand in 1999. He's the second straight freshman taken with the top pick, following Portland's Greg Oden last year. The 6-foot-3 guard put on a red Bulls cap, hugged some supporters, including Memphis coach John Calipari, and shook hands with Beasley, seated at a nearby table, before walking onto the stage to meet NBA commissioner David Stern.

Rose should be an upgrade over Kirk Hinrich, who now could be traded, and gives the Bulls another option if they don't re-sign guard Ben Gordon. Expected to contend for a division title, the Bulls instead stumbled to a 33-49 record and eventually replaced two coaches. But with just a 1.7 percent chance, they won last month's draft lottery, giving them a chance to quickly return to the playoffs. "It feels great to go in and compete," Rose said. "I'm just blessed to be in that position right now, because a lot of people aren't.

And just knowing that we are a few pieces away from really contending as a team, it just makes me happy." Miami settled for Beasley at No. 2, a pick the Heat considered trading. Beasley averaged 26.2 points, third in the nation, and topped Division I with 12.4 rebounds per game. But with questions about his size he may be 2 inches shorter than the 6-foot-10 he's listed at the Bulls may not have believed he could play the 4 spot in the NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves made it three straight first-year players to start the draft by taking Southern California guard O.J.

Mayo at No. 3. "We were talking about it last year," Beasley said. "We made a pact that we would be here. To see it happen was kind of crazy." UCLA guard Russell Westbrook was the first non-freshmen taken, going fourth to the Seattle Super-Sonics with new teammate and reigning Rookie of the Year Kevin Duraht standing and applauding the pick from the back.

Kevin Love gave the Bruins consecutive picks, going to Memphis at No. 5. The New York Knicks followed with Italian forward Danilo Gallinari, whose father played with new coach Mike D'Antoni overseas. Fans in Madison Square Garden weren't impressed, booing loudly. Indiana guard Eric Gordon became the fifth freshman taken, going to the Los Angeles Clippers at No.

7. West Virginia's Joe Alexander, whose stock began to rise after a strong run here in the Big East tournament, went to Mil-waukee with the next pick. COBB ON THE MOVE HI "ikl itfiviiivkia set fcr Saturday CHARLESTON Five high school teams are to compete in a 7-ort-7 foot- ball passing tournament while others participate in a linemen's camp Saturday at Eastern Illinois University. Area high school players can still join the linemen's camp which is to have registration at 9:45 a.m. Saturday at O'Brien Stadium.

Fee Is $25. Set to play in the 7-on-7 tourney are Springfield Lanphier, Springfield South-; east, Pana, Cerro Cordo and Lawrence Central, Ind, Round-robin competition is set for about 10:30 a.m. following registration -and then finals are to be played start- p.m. NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, to a fourth straight postseason playoff berth "I think there's no doubt about it," said Jason DeWolf, the defensive coordinator for a Joliet team that went 10-2 in junior college football last season. "He's definitely physical enough.

He can put on weight or take it off. I think he'll be a great fit there for them. "Shannon is a fun kid to be around. He loves playing the game The players really looked up to him he's a leader not just being great football player 1 a dynamic 4 Eastern Shannon Cobb (2) scores a touchdown for Normal Community High School on Nov 2005. Fines' Sk'tnal linshader All-star football games set for Saturday Area football fans have two all-star football games set to be played Saturday.

The fourth annual Wabash Valley Coaches Association All-Star football game featuring eight area players, all from the Little Mini Conference, is set for 6 p.m. at Indiana State Universities Memorial The 18th Order of Eastern Star High School All-Star Football Game is to be Saturday at 4 p.m. at Mil-likin Universities Frank M. Lindsey Field, which featured 13 area players. Wabash Valley Coaches Association All- Star Game Cumberland head coach Todd Butler and assistant Kevin Maynard are part of the 10-member coaching staff.

"It is an honor to go out and help," said Butler, who is on the North team, which has 45 players. "There are a lot of kids from our conference (Little Illini) in it and there are a lot of talent from the Wabash Valley. There are a lot of good football players on this side and the other side of the Wabash River." Butler is working with the offensive line along with North Putnam, Ind. coach Greg Barrett, while Maynard is a receivers coach. Three Cumberland players are playing, including Kye Butler, who is to play at Indiana State.

The other two are Jake Peters and Kenny Flood. Butler was a first team all-LIC ALL STARC4 Post 88 loses 8-run lead CHAMPAIGN Even in a wooden bat tournament where runs are supposed to be scarce, Mattoon could not hold an eight-run lead with just two innings to play. Two errors, two hit batsman, a passed ball and a botched play against a double steal helped Danville score four runs in the top of the seventh for a 15-14 win over Mattoon Post 88 in Thursday's opening round of the Champaign American Legion Wooden Bat Tournament Cory Ames' 5-for-5, five-RBI game and Cody Gass' four hits were not 4 enough for Post 88, which dropped to 12-7. "It was real frustrating," Post 88 coach Steve Metzger said. "We had an eight-run lead going into the sixth inning and then had a couple of errors and hit a couple of batters.

You can't do that and expect to win a ballgame against a strong Danville team. They won their division last year. Even with wood bats P0ST88C4 coiling By BRIAN NIELSEN Sports Editor NORMAL At 5-foot-ll, Shannon Cobb figures some colleges have overlooked him. "Most schools say they wanted someone 6-1, 6-2," Cobb said. "I can't help you there." But after playing both running back and linebacker for Normal Community's 2005 IHSA Class 6A state runner-up and then two years as a linebacker at Joliet Junior College, Cobb is getting the chance to play for Eastern Illinois.

The 5-11, 220-pound linebacker waited until late June for his decision but is coming to Eastern. "It was a long process," Cobb said. "I was talking to a few schools. Some schools were coming and some were leaving. I was just waiting and being patient and training.

Eastern came and showed me the town and showed me a lot of hospitality." He comes to the school where his father played on the Panthers' 1978 NCAA Division II national championship team. No, this is not the son of Poke Cobb, still Eastern's all-time rushing leader. Shannon's father is David Cobb, also a member of that '78 team as a reserve defensive back. But Eastern is taking Cobb on his own merit with the idea he can help the Panthers, now playing in the.