The biggest play of Saturday’s game came from the most unlikely of places, the Spartans’ special teams.With a little more than a minute to play in the third quarter and MSU leading by a score of 20-17, junior wide receiver Ziehl Kavanaght broke the game open with a 88-yard punt return for a touchdown.“When Ziehl ran that ball back the game was close,” junior quarterback Jeff Smoker said.
Although Ron Mason’s fingerprints are all over the MSU hockey team, new head coach Rick Comley appears to have a more hands-on approach than his predecessor.With one week of practice already in the books - and another underway - both the MSU players and assistant coaches are raving about Comley’s interpersonal skills.“Coach Comley has really gone out of his way to break down the communication barriers,” assistant coach Tom Newton said.
Statistically, junior wide receiver Charles Rogers had his least productive game of the season. But his presence created openings for teammates in both the running and passing attacks in the Spartans’ 39-24 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. Head coach Bobby Williams said studying film revealed there would be chances for other players to make plays against Northwestern (2-3 overall, 0-1 Big Ten). “We looked at the last two ball games and people have been really overplaying Charles,” he said.
The men’s soccer team rebounded Sunday from last weekend’s 6-1 beating at the hands of Indiana to defeat Northwestern 1-0 and earn its first Big Ten victory of the season.Defense and teamwork were keys in this weekend’s matchup, both things MSU (6-2 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) lacked in its last game.“We were more organized today, we weren’t jumping in,” head coach Joe Baum said.
MSU got back on the winning track Saturday with its 39-24 win against Northwestern. But once again, it was junior wide receiver Charles Rogers who stole the show. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder only pulled down three receptions for 53 yards - by far his worst outing of the season - but his 21-yard touchdown with 6:10 to play in the first half made history. The tally marked Rogers’ 14th-straight game with a touchdown, breaking the Big Ten record he shared with Michigan’s Desmond Howard (1990-91). It also marked his 13th-straight regular-season game with a touchdown, breaking the NCAA record he shared with Marshall’s Randy Moss (1997), Pacific’s Aaron Turner (1990-91) and Howard. “Just to be among these guys is a great accomplishment for me,” Rogers said.
Iowa City - It wasn’t the result the Spartans hoped for. However, the MSU volleyball team left the first weekend of Big Ten play with a 1-1 record.
The women’s soccer team lost its first Big Ten game of the season Sunday - a 3-1 decision at Wisconsin.
No, this isn’t the land of Make-Believe. Welcome to Michigan State University, otherwise known as Mister Charles Rogers’ Neighborhood. And it’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, where Mister Rogers has made us believers, posting the most impressive statistics possible in his green-and-white fairy-tale career here. And you can get here to watch King Saturday, MSU’s legitimate Heisman Trophy contender, by taking a magical Capital Area Transit Authority Trolley ride to the land split by the Red Cedar River. Won’t you join me in a short trip to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood?
The No. 9 MSU women’s cross country team dominated the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday, placing first in the 22-team competition hosted by the University of Minnesota at the Les Bolstad Golf Course. Scoring 72 points to win the meet, MSU outdistanced second-place Arizona State, which finished with 107 points. Winning the invitational was a product of hard work and a preface to upcoming meets, head coach Jim Stintzi said. “We’ve been working hard all summer for this season,” Stintzi said.
But in the end, MSU (9-3 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) defeated Iowa (6-6, 0-2) in four games, 30-26, 30-25, 19-30 and 30-27 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.“I think we were very fortunate to win,” MSU head coach Chuck Erbe said.
The Spartans had more trouble then they would have liked with the Hawkeyes on Saturday. But in the end, MSU (9-3 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) defeated Iowa (6-6, 0-2) in four games, 30-26, 30-25, 19-30 and 30-27 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “I think we were very fortunate to win,” MSU head coach Chuck Erbe said.
Minneapolis - Too many unforced errors led to the Spartans demise against the Golden Gophers on Friday.MSU (8-3) looked to give Minnesota (14-2) a run for its money in the early going, but could never take control because of service errors and miscommunication.
The Spartans opened up Big Ten play today, drubbing Northwestern 39-24 at Spartan Stadium. MSU (3-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) not only snapped a two-game skid, but showed drastic improvement in its running game with 276 yards on the ground.
Spartan junior wide receiver Charles Rogers set the NCAA and Big Ten records with 13 consecutive regular-season games with a touchdown catch today as MSU (3-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) toppled Northwestern (2-3, 0-1), 39-24.The 6-4, 205-pounder caught a 21-yard pass from junior quarterback Jeff Smoker with 6:10 left in the second quarter to break the record previously shared by Marshall’s Randy Moss, Michigan’s Desmond Howard and Pacific’s Aaron Turner.On the day, Rogers was held to a mere three catches for 53 yards, ending his MSU-record streak of eight 100-yard games.For more information about this report, see Monday’s edition of The State News.
Have you ever been so ashamed to be something in your life? I have, and you’d be surprised to know what that is.
PIGSKIN PROGNOSTICATORS McSkinny’s betrayal of the Spartans pulled him within a game of Death Ro as last week proved to be hard times for your Pigskin Prognosticators. Death Ro (12-7) came out of the weekend with a 1-3 mark, as the Spartans cost him another loss, USC (2-1) tanked and the Gators (3-1) shocked the Volunteers (2-1) in Knoxville. McSkinny (11-8) didn’t fair much better at 2-2.
After a month of nonconference games to start the season, the MSU volleyball team is getting ready for the real season. The No.
Although the MSU football team hasn’t measured up to preseason expectations, junior wide receiver Charles Rogers has stood tall. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder has posted 29 receptions for 634 yards and six touchdowns in four games, which has propelled him into the national spotlight.
Iowa (3-1) at No. 12 Penn State (3-0) The two most impressive teams in the Big Ten this year are arguably the Hawkeyes and the Nittany Lions. Both teams had their ups and downs last year, but neither moved into the spotlight like both are doing now.
No. 11 MSU men’s golf team will compete in the annual Northern Intercollegiate this weekend at the Indiana University Golf Course in Bloomington, Ind. The Northern Intercollegiate is a fall preview for the 2003 Big Ten Championship, which Indiana will host May 2-4. MSU tied for third place in the Inverness Intercollegiate Invitational Sept.