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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2006
SPORTS
Section
Opportunity knocks
for title contender
ASSOCIATED PRESS RLE PHOTO/MAE C. JONG
Heavyweight boxer Calvin Brock of Charlotte (right) lands a punch against Timor ibrigamov during a bout in June. Brock will
take on Wladimir Klitschko of the Ukraine for the IBO and IBF world titles Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden. Brock, the IBFs
No. 3 contender, is 29-0 with 22 knockouts; Klitschko is 46-3 witii 41 KOs.
Charlotte heavyweight to fight for world titles in November
By Herbert L. White
herb, wh/tegthechorio ffeposf.com
Calvin Brock finally has his
shot at a world boxing champi
onship.
Brock, an rmbeaten heavy
weight fi.'om Charlotte, will
fight Wladimir Klitschko of the
Ukraine Nov. 11 for the
International Boxing
Federation and International-
Boxing Organization title.
Brock,. who is 29-0 with 22
knockouts, is No. 3 in-the IBF
rankings. He earned first title
shot after dispatching Timor
Ibrigamov in June in Las
Vegas. The bout is Klitschko’s
first defense of the champi
onship he won from Chris
Byrd in Manheim, Germany in
April.
‘Tm not taking his chin for
.granted,” Brock said at a news
conference Thesday in New
York to annoimce the bout.
‘'TOlh my power and knockout
ratio, if I hit him ri^t, m
knock him out”
Said Khtschko: “Calvin
Brock is a top-three,fighter in
the world. “He’s undefeated,
young and willing to -win. He
has a great basic stjie of box-
ii^.”
The bout, which will be tele
cast by HBO, wUl also mark
women’s light hea-vyweight
champ Laila All’s Madison
Square Garden debut. The
daughter of three-time heavy-
wei^t champ Muhammad All
will face a yet to be named
opponent 35 years after her
father lost an epic battle to Joe
Frazil for the world title.
Tile Associated Press contributed
to this article.
POINT AFTER
Is Independence ripe for the taking?
Patriots aren’t usual dominant selves after close shave against Vance
PHOTOWADE NASH
Vance High running back Ra'Shawn Moore and the
Cougars put a scare into Independence in a 21-20 loss.
SMELL THE COFFEE TIME:
Independence High has its 96-
game win streak - and a wakeup
call.
The Patriots have the state’s top
coaching staff and the best collec
tion of players, but Independence
hasn’t put everythii^ together
yet. Last weeks 21-20 win over
Vance should convince the
Patriots they’re vulnerable, but
taking the threat seriotisly is
another matter.
GETTING THERE: South
Mecklenburg is no pushover
vmder first-year coach James
Martin.
The wing-T offense has put a
spark in the Sabres despite a 1-3
mark. Two losses were nail-biters
to Charlotte’ Catholic and
Olympic in which South led late.
By the way last weeks 23-22 loss
to Olympic was one of the best
games in the county thus far. The
Sabres aren’t dazzling, but they’re
determined.
TRENDY: Wing-T formotion.
Talk about old school. The wing-
Ts heyday was in the 1940s, but
the offense has fovmd new life in
Mecklenbuig, with South Meek
and Vance joining longtime advo
cate Charlotte Catholic.
BEST GAMES: Olympic at
Charlotte Catholic in a Queen
City 3A/4A opener. Providence
at South Meek in a Southwestern
4A game.
SURPRISING EAGLES: East
Mecklenburg. The Eagles are 4-0
and are pushing to be a player in '
the Southwestern 4A. East does-
n*t»have big stars, although do-it-
aU tailback Mike Majhew comes
dose. At any rate, the Ea^es are
poised for a run at the playoffs.
Herbert L. White
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
Despite losing its two top runners, backups like
Yannick Murray have helped Johnson C. Smith
improve its offensive output.
Golden
Bulls go on
oUdnslue
Experience in system producing
more points and fewer mistakes
By Herbert L. White
f)ert).wh(fe®ff) echorioffeposf.com
Everyone can take credit for Johnson C. Smith’s offen
sive resurgence.
Turnovers are down, yardage and scoring are up for
the Golden Bulls, who are fourth in the
CIAA at 18.7 points per game going into
Saturday’s game against Virginia Union.
Still, there’s room for improvement.
“We’re OK with it,” said left tackle TVe
Bower, a former Waddell High standout.
‘We’d just like to be No. 1 in the confer
ence, not fourth.”
Smith’s more effident because the
Bulls are better at the basics. The Bulls
McNeill
run well enough to keep opponents off balance, which
opens the passing attack. And they finish drives, lead
ing the CIAA in red zone effidency at 87.5 percent (7-of-
8) with six touchdowns and a field goal.
‘We’re doing some good things, but we’re still not
where we need to be timing wise,” head coach Darji
McNeUl said. “Hopefully with the week off we were able
to work on some things, some new (wrinkles) into our
offense.”
Smith’s offensive success starts up fi^nt. The line,
which starts one saiior and two sophomores, has
helped the Bulls to an average of298 yards total offense
per game and allowed only three sacks - all to Bowie
State in a.14-13 loss.
Please see JCSU/3C
Injured WR focuses
on being a mentor
FROM STAFF REPORTS
While Carolina Panthers’ Pro Bowl wide receiver
Steve Smith continues to nurse his hamstring injury
he remains focused on football.
During his weekly podcast. Smith discusses becom
ing an extra pair of eyes for younger
receivers Keary Colbert and Drew I
Carter. I
In the last two games, receiver Keary I
Colbert caught three passes for 32 yards
while Drew Carter had nine receptions
for 96 yards. In last week’s 13-16 loss to
the Minnesota Vikings, Carter had four
receptions for 34 yards, while Colbert
had none.
This is the third NFL season for both
receivers. However, Cart^ has only played in five
games and started two this season, due to season end
ing irguries in 2004 and 2005.
“Unfortunately, when you’re a young guy sometimes
you do not recognize some things. So, I ready was just
being th^ eyes and showing them what they are
doing in. certain situations and just being a team play-
Smith
See SMITH/2C
OOOE