‘Yote Notes – Dec. 16, 2003

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@albertson.edu

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL ATHLETIC NEWS:

COYOTES PREVALENT IN NAIA SOCCER STATISTICS: The NAIA released the 2003 national soccer statistical report and both the Albertson men's and women's soccer teams were included.  On the women's side, senior All-American Alyssa Latham ranked No. 14 in the nation with an average of 0.79 assists per game (a total of 10).  On the men's side, junior Jason Southward finished No. 10 in the nation in goals per game with 1.11 (20 goals) and No. 11 in total points per game with 2.72 (49 total points).  Sophomore Joe Chandler and junior All-American Ryan Abo were tied for No. 14 in assists per game at 0.75 (both had 15 assists on the season), with Chandler ranking No. 19 in total points per game with 2.45.  As a team, Albertson finished ninth in the NAIA with 73 goals scored, and tied for fifth in the nation with an average of 3.65 goals per game - both school records.

UPCOMING SKI NEWS: It looks like Albertson College has landed the host of the 2005 United States Ski and Snowboard Association Northwest Regional along with the USCSA National Championships.  More information, including site and dates will be released next week.

NEXT C.A.A. DINNER: The next Coyote Athletic Association booster dinner will be January 12 in the Simplot Dining Hall.  More information to follow at a later date. 

MEN’S BASKETBALL (7-4): Coyotes to open Cascade Conference play at home vs. Evergreen and Northwest

 

LAST WEEK: Idle

 

COMING UP: vs. Evergreen, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; vs. Northwest, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

 

RADIO: All 29 regular-season contests will be broadcast live on radio (1490 KCID-AM) and internet (via the Albertson Athletic Website) during the 2003-04 season with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action for the third-consecutive year.  Join him this week as the Coyotes open up Cascade Conference play against Evergreen and Northwest.  Catch all of play-by-play on the “Home of the Coyotes”, 1490 KCID-AM.

 

‘YOTES TO PLAY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: Despite the majority of the Cascade Conference opening up the loop slate on Wednesday night, Albertson will start CCC play this Thursday and Friday at home against Evergreen and Northwest.  Other league tilts include Concordia and Western Baptist heading south to meet Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon, with Cascade hosting Warner Pacific.  Eastern Oregon will host Evergreen on Wednesday and Northwest on Saturday.

 

NO NEW NATIONAL POLL UNTIL JANUARY: The Coyotes remain at No. 10 in the NAIA Division II as no new national poll was conducted this week.  Albertson will stay in the top-ten for the remainder of 2003, as the next poll will not be released until January 6.  Jamestown (N.D.) remains No. 1, followed by Cedarville (Ohio), Siena Heights (Mich.), Taylor (Ind.), and Oregon Tech.  William Jewell, whom the ‘Yotes knocked off at the Las Vegas Invitational, has not lost since – winning ten in a row, and moved to No. 7.  Christian Heritage, whom the Coyotes defeated in Salt Lake, sits at No. 16 in the NAIA Division I poll, with Westminster at No. 26, and Robert Morris at No. 28.

 

CAREER RECORD HUNT: A trio of Coyotes have begun an assault on the career record book as the preseason comes to a close.  Leading the charge is forward Tom Perkes (Spokane, Wash. / Big Bend CC), who has already cracked the top-ten in free throws made with 226 (No. 9).  The senior is closing in on the top-ten in field goals made and attempted, free throw attempts, and rebounds.  He also has scored 862 points in his career, needing 138 points to become the 11th Coyote to reach the 1,000-point mark since 1979.  Guard Andy Harper (Idaho Falls, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC) ranks No. 10 all-time in three-point attempts with 281 – and is nearing the top-ten in career three-pointers made.  The senior has scored 672 points in his career and has an outside chance to reach the 1,000-point mark.  Junior point-guard Joe Green (Pocatello, Idaho / BYU-Idaho) ranks No. 7 all-time in steals with 130, and is nearing the top-ten in career assists.

 

ABOUT THE CLAMS: Albertson opens up conference play against Evergreen, the 2001-02 Cascade Conference champion.  The Geoducks (3-6), who slipped to 13-20 last season, are a very athletic team that uses the three-point shot to its advantage.  Seventh-year head coach John Barbee has no underclassmen on his roster, which are led by forwards Walter Tucker (13.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Julius Marshall (10.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg).  Evergreen ended a four-game losing streak with a 86-74 win over Whitman on Saturday night.  The Coyotes swept the season series from the Clams last year, including a 93-82 victory in Caldwell.  The ‘Yotes hold a 5-3 all-time edge in the series since 2000, including a 4-2 mark under head coach Mark Owen.

 

ABOUT THE EAGLES: The Coyotes know that Northwest will come to play on Friday night – considering the Eagles (6-6) took 2-of-3 games from Albertson last season, including a 81-75 victory in Caldwell.  However, only three players return for John VanDyke’s club – although a good mix of size and outside shooting have the 2003 team at .500.  Of the six wins this season for the Eagles this season, only three are against NAIA or NCAA competition – two wins against George Fox and a victory at Pacific.  Four players average in double-figures – guards Andrew Gard (12.9 ppg, 4.2 apg) and Grant Enloe (11.6 ppg), and forwards Aaron Sawyer (13.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg) and Tyson Dodd (10.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg).  Albertson holds a 9-4 series edge against Northwest since 1997, including a 5-2 mark under Mark Owen. 

 

MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding the Albertson men’s basketball program, head to the official site Coyote Basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.

 

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (2-4): Lady ‘Yotes to host Evergreen and Northwest to open Cascade Conference play

 

LAST WEEK: Idle

 

COMING UP: vs. Evergreen, Thursday, 5:30 p.m.; vs. Northwest, Friday, 5:30 p.m.

 

INTERNET BROADCASTS: Eleven Albertson women’s basketball games will be broadcast live via the Albertson athletic website this winter.  Join Jordan Komoto and Jake McClean for all of the play-by-play at www.collegeofidaho.edu/webcam/athletics.asx - the internet home of Lady ‘Yote Basketball.

 

CONFERENCE SEASON TO START THURSDAY: The Lady ‘Yotes open the 2003-04 Cascade Conference season this week at home with games at the Activities Center against Evergreen and Northwest.  Albertson, which took home the CCC regular-season crown in 2001, finished last season with a 8-10 mark – only the second time that the Coyotes had finished the season with a sub-.500 record in league play.

 

LOOKING AT THE LEAGUE: As league play starts on Wednesday – the 2003-04 conference crown is up for grabs.  Preseason favorite and No. 24 ranked Oregon Tech has started the season on a good note, thanks to post Nikki McElligott (15.0 ppg,11.9 rpg).  Also playing well is Eastern Oregon, who scored over 100 points for the first time in ten years last Saturday against Walla Walla.  The Mounties rely on junior guard Jaime Jo Cant (13.9 ppg).  Western Baptist will be a factor, thanks to the outside shot of junior Lindsy Brownell (13.4 ppg).  A promising team is Warner Pacific, with the backcourt tandem of Angie Sun (11.4 ppg) and Joy Best (11.8 ppg).  Youthful teams include defending champion Southern Oregon, which lost four starters to graduation, along with Concordia and Cascade.

 

CHECKING IN ON THE RECORD BOOK: Six games into the 2003-04 season and changes in the career record book have begun to take place.  Heidi Goicoechea (Burley, Idaho / Burley HS) heads the list – as she has now taken more shots than any other Lady ‘Yote player in school history, 1,098.  She currently ranks second all-time in three-point field goals made and attempted, fourth in field goals made and points scored (1,088 points), fifth in assists and free throws made, and seventh in rebounds and free throws attempted.  Also moving up the list is Krystal Thacker (Elko, Nev. / BYU-Idaho), who now ranks No. 7 all-time in steals and No. 9 all time in assists.

 

SIZING UP THE OPPONENTS: The Coyotes meet a ticking-timebomb on Thursday night, as Evergreen comes to town.  The Geoducks (1-10) have been in nine of their 11 games, despite recording just a 81-54 win over Walla Walla.  Head coach Monica Heuer has handed coaching responsibilities to her husband Mychael, while on maternity leave.  The duo is trying to change seven years of futility for the Clams, who have just a 22-156 record since basketball was started in 1997.  Evergreen has a solid shooter in Kristen Zompetti (12.0 ppg, .429 3FG%), who has scored 20-or-more points three times this season.  Evergreen has never defeated Albertson, with the Lady ‘Yotes holding a 11-0 all-time edge, 4-0 under Reagan Rossi.  In Caldwell, Albertson has averaged has outscored the Clams by a 79-47 average in the previous six meetings.  A much-improved Northwest club heads to the Treasure Valley looking to end a six-game losing streak.  The Eagles (3-6) opened the season with road wins over Walla Walla, Montana Tech, and NAIA Division I power Lewis-Clark State – but have lost tight games with NCAA stalwarts Central Washington, Puget Sound, and a pair of games with Pacific Lutheran.  First-year head coach Lori Napier has restocked the cupboard with a solid recruiting class – including freshman Jennifer DeYoung (19.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg), who leads the CCC in scoring.  Guards Kristin Boyd (12.9 ppg) and Briana Duerr (10.6 ppg) also average in double-figure scoring.  The two teams split games last year, each winning on their home court.  Albertson holds a 15-2 all-time advantage since 1993, including a 8-0 mark in Caldwell.  The Lady ‘Yotes are 3-1 against Northwest under Rossi.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For up-to-date statistics, stories, and information about the Albertson women’s basketball team, head to the official website for the Lady ‘Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.  For updated scores and standings from the Cascade Conference women’s basketball season, head to www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wbasketball/stats/standings.htm.

 

 

- ALBERTSON -