2C
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SPORTS/SIie Cliarlotte $ost
Thursday, September 28, 2006 '
Felton predicts
playoffs for
Bobcats - if
Continued from page 1C
Oct. 27 against the Atlanta Hawks.
Both games feature former Tar Heels players - Brendan
Haywood and Antawn Jamison of the Wizards, and the Hawks’
Marvin Williams, who joined May and Felton on that title-win
ning team.
The ex-Tar Heels “have a chance to bring their NBA careers
down to where their collegiate careers all started,” Felton said.
Felton said he and May skipped their senior seasons last year
to enter the NBA draft because they felt they had nothing left to
prove at the college level. The Bobcats teantmates came back to
campus for North Carolina’s games against Cleveland State and
Duke last season, £ind Felton said he’s eager to play in Chapel
HiU again.
“It’s basically going to be like my rookie year, my freshman
year in college, my first time running out there,” he said. “It’s
going to feel kind of different coming out there in a Bobcats uni
form ... but it’s going to feel like I’m back at Carolina again.”
Tigers eye more than
playoff invitation
On the road again? No problem at JCSU
McNeill
By Larry Lage
THE A5SOC/ATED PRESS
DETROIT - The Detroit
Tigers celebrated like they
won the World Series when
they clinched their first trip
to the playoffs in 19 years.
The Tigers popped,
sprayed, poured and drank
champagne in the clubhouse
Sunday at Kansas City and
continued to enjoy their
accomplishment on the flight
home and in an airport
hangar with family, fnends
and employees of the proud-
again organization well into
the night.
Even though the Tigers
were proud of the feat no one
- including themselves —
envisioned back in spring
training, manager Jim
Leyland and his players
insisted they want to accom
plish more.
“Something has happened.
we’ve taken a few steps, but
we’re not satisfied. We’re try
ing to bring this home for Mr.
(Mike) Hitch,” said Leyland,
refeiring to the team owner.
‘We’ve taken the first leg of it,
but we’ve got a long way to
go”
Detroit began the final
week of the regular season
with a ll/2-game lead over
Minnesota in the AL Central
and a half-game ahead of the
New York Yankees and Mets
for baseball’s best record.
The Tigers seem to have a
good shot at maintaining
their position. They began a
three-game series Tuesday
with Tbronto before closing
with a three-game set against
the Royals, who have base
ball’s worst record.
Detroit is 2-1 against
Tbronto this season and 14-1
against Kansas City.
Continued from page 1C
McNeill) always tells us don’t
wait for somebody else to
make a play, you have to
make a play. Don’t wait for
somebody else
to do it.”
Dix did his
share on spe
cial teams
against
Virginia
Union. He
blocked a punt
for a touch-
dovm, returned
a kickoff 91 yards for another,
then blocked two field goals
in overtime to keep Smith in
contention. • His heroics
helped offset Union’s offen
sive dominance - 502 yards
to Smith’s 262.
As a result, Dix was named
CIAA and national special
teams player of the week by
D2football.com.
Smith has had only one
home game, a 14-13 loss to
Bowie State on Sept. 9. While
playing in front of a support
ive crowd is a plus, it can also
take off the edge.
“Playing at home is a little
bit less focused than it .is
playing on the road,” McNeill
said. “I think you just get a
better focus when you’re on
the road. But we’re going to
win some home games this
_ year. We feel pretty good
about where we are at this
point.”
The Bulls have shown they
can win close games. No
game has been decided by
more than five points (19-14
win over Edward Waterskin
the opener) and a couple have
been decided by three. AH
four have been decided in the
last five minutes or overtime,.
“As long as you’re in the
game going into the last five
minutes, you always feel good
about it,” McNeill said.
‘We’re at a point where we
need to put together a com
Belton
plete game.”
While the Bulls have
already clinched a winning
record on the road, there’s the
matter of winning at Belk
Complex, where JCSU is 0-
12 since it
opened in 2003.
Smith has
three games
remaining in
Charlotte, two
on campus.
“Every game,
we try to go in
and win,
whether it’s hoijie or away,”
said Belton, a former North
Mecklenburg High standout.
“I know we haven’t won any
home games in that stadium
since I’ve been here. Our next
home game, I think well puH
it out.”
That would be Oct. 14
against St. Augustine’s.
• Smith’s overtime thriller
was the longest game in
school history - 3 hours, 50
minutes.
“In my 24 years of coaching,
this (was) the most exciting
game I have ever coached,”
McNeill said. “I have never
been through five overtimes
in my career. Our kids never
gave up. Both teams were
picked to finish last in their
respective divisions and this
game is a testament that
both programs are up and
coming.”
In addition to CIAA and
national special teams hon
ors, McNeill lauded Dix’s
effort against Yu^inia Union.
“De’Audra Dix had one of
the best games in Smith his
tory from a special teams per
spective,” McNeill said. “I am
glad we were able to come out
with the victory and I am so
happy for our kids, our pro
gram, and the university.”
JCSU still has special
teams issues. Placekicker
Drew Vezina, who replaced
Herbert Collins against
Union, missed field goals
from 52,42 and 50 yards - the
last'two in overtime. Collins,
however, had one of his best
games as a punter, averagii^
42.4 yards on five tries with a
long of 54.
Donja Goodson, who start
ed against Union after
Carlton Richardson was side
lined by an injury, was steady-'
if unspectacular. He complet-,
ed 8-of-21 passes for 117
yards and a pair of scores.,
Belton caught six passes for,
97 yards and a touchdown
while Murray continued to
establish himself as the top-
rusher with 72 yards on 15
carries in his second start.
• Winning is sweeter than
usual, too. After every -victory.
Charleston House restaurant'
has baked the Bulls a cake
■with layers bearing the colors
of each school JCSU beats. So
far, the cake is up to three’
layers: orange and blue
(Edward Waters), blue and
white (Glenville State) and
maroon and steel (Virginia
Union).
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