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• • - 'V.v-1! ' 'AGE M . PLAINDEALER HERALD. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 3,1984 ports -r Chris Jnzwik Sports Editor Confessions of a non-Cub lover The following is an open letter to all Cub fans. Only real, boaest-to-goodness fans apply. Dear Cubs Fans: In the wake of your glee surrounding the Cubs making the playoffs, I have a serious confession to make. It's time for me to hang out the dirty wash and admit the truth. 1 It's a very difficult, emotional thing to do, but what's right is right. I'm not a Cubs fan. Never have been. There. I did it. I'm not going to name names, but there are those who are relishing the Cubs' success and really have no right to do so. Suddenly, there's dugouts and clubhouses full of "long-time Cub ; fans" or "die-hard Cub fans." Is that long-time as in 'since-June- • long-time?' Or die-hard as in 'never-missed-a-game-on-TV- ! during-the-stretch-run-die-hard?' I wonder. ! Does that make any of you the least bit miffed? It's like the guy ! who getsjjfllbr girl by telling her he's the one who made you ask ; her out.̂ ̂ • But that doesn't really matter, because all of you - whether • you claim to have seen Gabby Hartnett's homer in the darkness > or remember who had the game-winning RBI in the division- i clinching win last Monday - want the same thing. For the Cubs \ to win the World Series. AS FOR ME, I GUESS I'VE pretty much always disliked the ; Cubs. They've never done anything to win me over. I've given > them ample opportunity to take me into their flock, but time and again, I - like a multitude of others - was let down. So I cannot count these 1984 division champions among my beloved. As long as we're telling truths, here's another one: I ; wish I could. I really desire to be a Cubs fan right now. In fact, there's nothing I'd like more. ; It would be super to be able to wear a dusty old Cubs-hat with pride. Or to have my radio selector button rusted onto AM 720. Or to remember what Johnny Callison's number was. But I can't. With an overwhelming feeling of humility and justice, I hereby congratulate (this isn't easy) the Cubs - and all of you - on a spectacular season. Envy, nah - jealousy, perhaps even hatred are all emotions which ran rampant through me as I watched my Sox dive, head­ first from the AL West race, as the Cubs played winning, ex­ citing, consistent baseball for 162 games. THESE CUBS ARE EASY to like. They're a fun team. Fun to watch, fun to root for. You're very lucky people. But morality and a certain.sense of pride forbid me from taking any pleasure whatsoever in watching them win. Friends and acquaintances approach with the resounding hypothetical question, "how 'bout them Cubbies," and I can only respond with a mild, half-hearted, "yeah, how 'bout 'em." Celebrations? I can't take part. That would be much too hypocritical. I mean, would it be fair for a known Sox-lover to down a few with longtime Cub-lovers? No, sir. The Cub faithful should cherish these moments (for they are fleeting) and take the opportunity to make some 'in-your-face' comments to Sox fans. Turnabout is indeed fair play. - I'VE GIVEN A LOT OF thought to converting, but just never had the courage to do so. When Harry Caray moved over from the . White Sox booth to his box in Wrigley Field, I really wanted to «jump ship. But the future looked too dim on the North Side. Joe Strain was the second baseman, Larry Biitner was in right and Ryne Sandberg was a teenager. It didn't look hopeful, so I let Harry go with a huge sigh, and tried to put my faith in a couple of rich owners with a lot of grandiose ideas for the South-siders. My patience paid off with a big White Sox year in 1983, and I stuck it to many of your kind endlessly. "Your day will come," I joked. "Maybe not in your lifetime, but it'll come." Little did I know my prophesy would come true so quickly. I REALLY DO HOPE THE Cubs go all the way. In short series like the playoffs, one or two players can get hot and carry a team, I and of course the converse is also true. So it's silly to even ven­ ture a guess either way, as the Cubs and Padres appear to be | evenly matched. ) But win or lose, it really won't matter to one down-trodden, ; grudging Sox fan, who will view the NL playoffs green with envy. Should the Cubs prevail in either the playoffs, the lofty World Sefies, or even both, I can take no joy. The best I could offer j would be a feeble smattering of "Cubs win, Cubs win." rvice out. ruins Warrior hopes atrop McHenry's Pat Dunne charges through the Central line Saturday. B^r Steve Metsch PloindooUr-Horald Nowt Sorvic* CRYSTAL LAKE -- Try as it may, McHenry's football team simply couldn't find the key to lock up Crystal Lake Central's football team here Saturday. The Warriors had lured the Tigers into a cage several times, but the sneaky Central gridders kept finding a way out. As a result, the Warriors' dream of a Fox Valley Conference cham­ pionship is in serious jeopardy after a 23-14 defeat. "We had several crucial errors. If we played a good game, we would have been victorious. Crystal Lake is a fine team. I suppose I should feel great only losing by nine points, but I don't feel that way in my heart," Warrior coach Joe Schlender said. AN OFFSIDES CALL, in­ terception and batted-down two- point conversion attempt left Schlender and the Warriors with that empty feeling. Those factors - and Central's taking advantage of Warrior miscues - were the difference. The win gives Central a 2-0 Fox Valley record, improves its overall slate to 4-0 and ties the Tigers with Crystal Lake South for first place. McHenry (0-2, 1- 3) lost its third straight game. "Now, in all probability, we're probably out of the conference race. It's hard to take, but there are other things in life," Schlender said. "I'm proud of our kids. Even though they made mistakes, they played as hard as they could." THAT'S A FACT TIGER coach Bill Mack, who won his 100th game at the Central helm is well-aware of. "We're real happy to be 4-0. We knew they have some pretty good people. We're happy to escape," he said. The Tigers' plan was simple: ram the ball down McHenry's throat. They did so with a game- winning drive that used 15 rushing plays and ate up 7:46. "We did control the lines in the second half. If we'd let them control, we'd be out of the baHgame. Our best defense was our offense, really," Mack said. Bryan Hansen, who led all rushers with 99 yards, ended the series with a 16-yard dash that gave Central a 20-8 lead with 10:01 left to play. Tom Dodge's extra-point try sailed wide, but his 25-yard field goal on the next series gave Central a 23-8 lead with 4*21 left. "THAT'S WHAT WE WAN­ TED to do, take it to them. That , was definitely the ballgame," said Mack of the 86-yard march. Central had taken control when McHenry failed \ on a Continued on pago It McHenry swimmers roll, break more records As the playoffs begin, I give you a meager, "Go Cubs Go." Yours in Cubness, Chris Juzwik P.S. Even if I wanted to (but I can't), it's too late to jump on the bandwagon. It's too crowded. McHenry High's girls' swimming team continued to roll, defeating Cary-Grove 120- 41, setting' two more school records in the process. Coach Mike Shanahan's Warriors easily defeated the Trojans in their Fox Valley Conference opener. The 200 medley relay team of Jennifer Hiller, Mary Geske, Tracey Hoffman and Monique Betancourt won the event in the record-breaking time of 2:29. Hoffman also had a hand in the other record, setting a new school 100 butterfly record, with a time of 1:08. THE WARRIORS SET THREE records in a recent meet against Waukegan East and Crystal Lake Central. Hoffman set two - one in the 200 freestyle, the other in the 500 freestyle - and Geske claimed the other in the 100 breastroke. The Warriors dominated the Cary-Grove meet Thursday. In the 200 freestyle, Laura Clewis was first, Debbie Holtz second and Shannon Brown fourth. In the 200 individual medley, Betancourt finished ahead of teammate Erin Con­ way. McHenry's Kim Kull was firtst, and Hiller second in the 50 freestyle. COLLEEN SAMEN WAS FIRST in the diving category. McHenry swept the 100 freestyle, as Clewis, Geske and Kull were 1-2-3. In the 500 free, Hoffman was first, Debbie Holtz second and Brown fourth. Betancourt claimed the 100 backstroke top honor, Hiller was second and Brown fourth in the same event. Geske took first, and fellow Warrior Kim Zujewski was third in the 100 breastroke. Hie Warriors also claimed first in the 400 freestyle relay, as Robin Jensen, Clewis, Kull and Holtz teamed up. Hie Warrior swimmers hosted Elgin and Dundee-Crown yesterday, and will travel to Rockford for the Rockford- Jefferson Invitational Saturday. Marian fights off pesky Skyhawks By Sam Natrop Plaindealer-Herald News Service 3 .. • „ JOHNSBURG -- One play. Johnsburg High School Coach Randy Obermebt said his team came that close to a possible upset of Marian Central Saturday afternoon. But that one play-a 96-yard kickoff return by the Hurricanes' Dan Fortin on the opening play of the second half- set the tone for the final two periods as Marian held off A valiant JHS contingent, 32-21, in a Northwest Suburban Con­ ference battle Saturday af­ ternoon. "We simply over-pursued on the reverse," Oberembt said. "It wasn't a mental mistake, it was a physical one and that's one that a coach can't be angry at a kid for." Marian Central Coach Don Penza said the play was called by the man running the ball, number 33. "It was a play they put in Friday. They put in their own blocking schemes and ran it the way they wanted to," Penza said. OBEREMBT SAID he was pleased with the effort of his squad. To be sure, he had little to be angry about, as his Skyhawks gave Marian fits most of the day. "We felt we needed to stop (Andy) Hartlieb and Fortin. They are two great running backs," he said. "And with the exception of the long run by Fortin, I thought we did a real nice job." The long run Oberembt referred to was a 73-yard jaunt by Fortin in the second quarter. The Hurricane rushing statistics back up Obermebt's observation. Marian had just nine yards rushing on nine at­ tempts in the first quarter. And without Fortin's long TD run in the second period, the 'Canes had only 35 yards on the ground. "We missed a couple of tackles on him and we let him J C T R M VISITOR V. U U T V ! * "iTQjS? , BALLON wM . • a r?./ \ '• . * V * . ' f* V * |* ' J • 1. > * get away," Oberembt recalled of the play. "You can't do that with a great running back." FOR THE record, the Hurricanes did get their running attack on track in the second half, tallying 119 yards in the final two quarters. Mark DuRei had one of his finer day^s as a Skyhawk quarterback. He hit on ll-of-28 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns, but was in­ tercepted four times. MC's George Powers picked off a tipped pass after teammate Kevin McConville jarred the ball from a Johnsburg receiver to set up the first MC score-a 30-yard field goal by Tom Will at the 7:10 mark. Hartlieb recorded the second interception on Johnsburg's third play of the next drive, but the theft went for naught as Bill Brown blocked Will's 28-yard field goal try, Neither team could muster a scoring drive until the second period when Brown pounced on a Fortin fumble at the Marian 22. Three plays later, DuRei found Brown for a 16-yard scoring pass that just eluded the fingertips of a diving Powers. Mike Majercik booted the extra point to give JHS a 7-3 lead. THAT LEAD lasted just more than one minute, however, as Fortin took the ball at his own 27 and exploded up the middle and outran the Skyhawk secondary 73 yards to the end zone. Will's PAT made it 10-7. Marian took advantage of a poor Johnsburg punt to set up its final score of the half as Will kicked a 33-yarder as time expired to give the 'Canes a 13-7 halftime edge. And the Marian huddle was its usual self at the intermission. "I tell the kids what they should be doing in this situation or that situation and they say, 'Coach, we know. We've got it under control,' " Penza said. "That's the good thing that came out of today. They knew what they were doing wrong and they fixed their mistakes." Fortin did a lot of fixing himself on the second half kickoff as he took the ball on the left hashmark, ran toward and faked the y handoff to Will who executed the fake well enough to pull most of the Johnsburg players with him. Fortin then scampered up the right sideline, got a key block and reached the end zone untouched. Will's extra point failed. STEVE BALDWIN'S In­ terception gave the Hurricanes good field position at the JHS 46 just a moment later. A 17-yard run by Fortin and a nine-yard burst by took the ball to the 20 Continued on pogo 19 .. . i j - v- l 1 i.&0> :< T it /•-; . <-f 'M' '*\4r 4 ' & - V » % » • * , ̂ " * *** <AMMf •)" • ' ** • n • • :.v;.. -N- r * , " : ' ! , V • ' • " - Y * •'* •'V* •"< _-i. n .._.,l. • . m , • Plaindertler-Herald News Service Photo bv Steve Metsch 1 s Mark Dumelle latches on to a pass from quarterback Mark DuRei late in the Skyhawks* loss to Marian Central Saturday. LOOKING AHEAD • • • McHENRY HIGH SCHOOL Todav Thursday: n rantroi of Wo f Cross-Country: Jacobs at SmwS 4 » p m West CamPus' 4:30 P ™ campus, 4.30 p.m. Volleyball: at Woodstock, 4:30 p.m. JOHNSBURG HIGH SCHOOL Today: Central, 4:30 p.m. Tennis: at Marian Central, Cross-Country: Wauconda, 4:30 p.m. 4:30 p,m. • • I _ . „ Thursday: Football: (frosh) Marengo, Volleyball: at Marian 4:30 p.m. ( /