Bronco O-linemen stepping up—without the beef…presented by One Network.
Best depth at running back in school history. Best depth at wide receiver in school history. But Boise State’s 2008 season will come down to its offensive line. One of the many new names cropping up is Kevin Sapien. The 6-4, 261-pound sophomore from Torrance, CA, has been praised by coaches as the O-lineman who’s coming on the most. He’s now the favorite at the starting guard spot opposite Andrew Woodruff, the one veteran in the trenches. Of course, Woodruff’s former running mates, Ryan Clady, Dan Gore, Jeff Cavender, Pete Cavender and Tad Miller, have all departed. It’s a crucial, crucial area for BSU.
What’s interesting is the size differential between the new Bronco offensive line and the ones that have keyed BSU’s “Golden Era”
the past nine years. Fortunately for the Broncos, Woodruff is still packing his 320 pounds. But, using Sapien, center Thomas Byrd, and tackles Nate Potter and Jon Gott as the current model group, the rest of the line averages only 272. It’s 282 when you figure in Woodruff. Last year’s starting O-line weighed in at an average of 303 pounds. You don’t have to be heavy to be strong, and being light certainly doesn’t have to hurt quickness and agility. That would be the Bronco fan’s “glass half-full”
view of it, anyway.
Here’s the Boise Burn’s playoff situation: win this week, and take it from there. If the playoffs started now, the Burn would be in. But they don’t. The three division leaders from each conference get automatic berths in the af2 Playoffs, with the next best five records rounding out the postseason field. After last week’s bye, Boise is still holding onto the seventh spot in the National Conference with three games to go. It’s still an uphill battle, though, as the Burn take on South Division leader Florida this Saturday in their home finale at Qwest Arena. The season wraps up on the road at Central Valley, who beat the Burn by six in Boise on Memorial Day weekend, and at dreaded Spokane.
The trickle-down effect of the Cubs’ trade for A’s ace Rich Harden Tuesday has reached the Boise Hawks. And one of the moves really stings. First baseman Rebel Ridling had become the most popular of the 2008 Hawks, hitting .366, fourth in the Northwest League. He was second in the league in home runs and RBIs with four and 19, respectively. But now Ridling takes his classic name to Peoria, along with catcher Luis Flores and second baseman Jake Opitz, the guy who hit the walk-off homer on Opening Night.
Hawks manager Tom Beyers scotch-taped together a new lineup card last night, and it produced a 7-3 win in Eugene. It’s the first time this season the Hawks have been two games over .500 (they’re 12-10). Clutch pitching was key, as the Emeralds did have their chances. For example, the Ems loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning. But Jeff Beliveau ended the threat with two strikeouts, the last one finished by a 93 mile-per-hour fastball. Beliveau allowed three hits in two scoreless innings of relief, but he struck out five.
Dontrelle Willis hyperextended his knee in April and went on the disabled list for the first time in his big league career. And nothing has gone right since. Beset by control problems, the former Boise Hawk was demoted all the way down to Class A by the Tigers one month ago, but he’s appeared in only one game. Now Willis has had a setback in his right knee, jeopardizing his chances of pitching again in the majors this season. It’s not what Detroit had in mind when they traded with the Marlins to get Miguel Cabrera and the D-Train, one of the more popular players in baseball. So far, the three-year $29 million contract Willis signed with the Tigers has produced an 0-1 record, an ERA of 10.32, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5-to-21.
The list of Idahoans still alive at the 107th PNGA Amateur has been further pared after the first day of single-elimination match play. Two remain, as Nampa’s Eric Peterson and Hayden’s Russell Grove both won to move to the round of 32. Peterson’s victory was decisive, as he downed Tai Reynolds of Victoria, B.C., 3-and-2. Among the others, Connor McCracken came agonizingly close. The Eagle golfer went 19 holes before falling to Austyn Karle of Malibu, CA. Stroke play medalist Erik Flores and runnerup Adam Hadwin both advanced to second round matches.
Congratulations to Jadon Dailey for being named new radio color analyst for Boise State football on KIDO. Dailey has the knowledge and personality to let it fly. He had a pretty visible audition on Michael Hoffman’s “Out Of The Blue”
documentary with his memorable quips. My favorite visual of Daley is from the background of a photo of the Statue of Liberty at the Fiesta Bowl. Ian Johnson is still at the five-yard-line, and Dailey’s in the background with his arms already up in the air, signaling “good.”
This Day In Sports…brought to you by ROARING SPRINGS and BOONDOCKS…twice the fun!
July 10, 1934: Baseball’s second All-Star Game provides one of the Midsummer Classic’s all-time great moments, as Carl Hubbell of the New York Giants strikes out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession. Still, the American League would go on to win the game, 9-7.
