SPORTS - TownNewsbloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/...about 30 Yaqui team ridersinEl...
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SPORTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2013 • SECTION b SPORTS SPORTS Editor: Ryan Finley / 520-573-4312 / [email protected] ARIZONA FOOTBALL By Bruce Pascoe ARIZONA DAILY STAR SAN DIEGO — San Diego State’s rowdy fans couldn’t do it. The Az- tecs’ full-court press couldn’t do it. Nor, certainly, could well-re- garded SDSU big man Josh Davis. Only one thing ultimately stopped the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday, and that came after their 69-60 win over San Diego State: The fog. It rolled in during the game, so much so that Arizona wasn’t al- lowed to fire up their charter flight to go home immediately after the game. Oh well. Arizona staffers booked the Wildcats into another hotel, and everyone walked out of Viejas Arena in a good mood, any- way. Why wouldn’t they be in a good mood? A true road game in No- vember, at a place where they were embarrassed in a 63-46 loss four years earlier? A place where this time, a 14-point lead shrank to just four in the final minutes and fans were on their feet rooting for a collapse. But then … an alley-oop in- bounds pass from T.J. McCon- nell to Aaron Gordon resulted in a dunk that moved UA’s lead to six, then a few defensive stops and it was all over. “I’m just proud of the fact that we came here and played,” UA coach Sean Miller said. “We came in here not knowing how it would work out and … the fact that we played well enough to win will continue to give us confidence.” It also helped Miller continue to move key UA players into the roles he wants them to be in. On top of Gordon’s 16 athlet- ically created points and more steady ballhandling from McCo- nnell, Nick Johnson moved fur- ther into his role as a leader for the Wildcats. The junior scored a team-high 23 points, with 8-of-15 shooting (though he missed 5 of 6 Wildcats happy to hang on EL TOUR DE TUCSON By Shannon Conner SPECIAL TO THE ARIZONA DAILY STAR As her family held the donated mountain bike seat, 37-year-old Melinda Leyva put her feet on the pedals, gripped the handlebars and wobbled. She was teaching herself how to ride. Feet have led to miles as she rides on Tucson’s west side and around the Pascua Yaqui Reser- vation. On Nov. 23, Leyva will be one of about 30 Yaqui team riders in El Tour de Tucson; she will ride the 38-mile race. The Yaqui team will ride as part of the reservation’s Diabetes Prevention and Treat- ment Program. “When we started talking about this race last year, I thought it would be awesome,” the adminis- trative assistant said. “But I didn’t know how to ride. So I taught my- self.” Leyva started cycling to help save her life. The training has been solitary for Leyva, who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes about 10 years ago. She works out daily at the Yaqui Wellness Center, and rides on the weekends. “I’ve pret- ty much had to change myself. (Diabetes) is a huge thing,” she said.“You’ve got to get on track, change your food, diet, exercise, keeping up with medication.” Yaqui cyclist inspires, educates BENJIE SANDERS / ARIZONA DAILY STAR Melinda Leyva, who has Type 2 diabetes, will ride in this month’s El Tour de Tucson as part of a Yaqui team cycling to raise diabetes awareness. IF YOU GO • What: El Tour de Tucson presented by Casino del Sol Resort • When: Nov. 23 • Who: About 9,000 cyclists in seven races • Register online: perimeterbicy- cling.com/el-tour-de-tucson On StarNet: Check out our searchable database of results from El Tour de Tucson from 2006-2012 at azstarnet.com/online/ databases See EL TOUR, B3 FC TUCSON By Dave Ord ARIZONA DAILY STAR Can you hold a reunion when you’ve only been around three years? FC Tucson is going to give it the old pro development league try tonight, when a team com- prised mainly of the soccer club’s former players takes the field against Major League Soccer’s Chivas USA. The exhibition will christen the new Kino Sports Complex North Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7. The reunion is unofficial and will certainly take a back seat, in the new 1,700-seat grandstand, to the new venue. But without those players who represented the club in FC Tucson’s first three years, there probably wouldn’t be a new stadium to celebrate. Fourteen of the 22 names on the FC Tucson roster for tonight’s match have put on the black uni- form at some point since the club’s inception in 2011. That group includes four members — Kareem Smith, Reid Schmitt, Michael Kraus and Dom Papa — of the 2012 team that reached the playoffs in the franchise’s first year in the USL Premier Devel- opment League. “We thought this would be a really cool thing to give to guys like Kareem and Reid and Mike Kraus and Dom because they took a chance on us at the very beginning — a lot like the ReunitedFCTucson to christen stadium against MLS club By Daniel Berk ARIZONA DAILY STAR When he was a 23-year-old high school assistant coach, Paul Volero drove four of his players from Miami, Fla., to rural West Virginia to play for coach Rich Rodriguez’s Glen- ville State Pioneers. After two days in Glenville, W.Va., the always-resourceful Rodriguez pulled the well-built Volero aside. “At the end of the weekend, he said, ‘You still look half-de- cent — you wanna play for us?’” a laughing Volero recalled Thursday. “I said sure. And the rest is history.” Volero had played two sea- sons at Arizona Western Col- lege. But after he didn’t get any offers to continue his career, Volero moved back to South Florida to coach high school football. When Rodriguez asked him if he wanted to restart his play- ing career, Volero jumped at the chance. He played two years for Ro- driguez at Glenville and was on the 1993 team that played for an NAIA national championship. Following his playing career, Volero served as Rodriguez’s defensive line coach for a season at Glenville and then worked for him again for three years at West Virginia as a graduate assistant. The two will be back on the same field Saturday at Arizona Stadium. Volero, now 43, serves as Washington State’s outside linebackers coach. “During the season, we hav- en’t been able to talk, but in the offseason we do, and he’s still close with some other guys on our staff,” Rodriguez said this week. “Paul’s a great guy. He was always a good recruiter, but more than anything, he’s just always had a way with the kids.” Volero was teammates with UA quarterbacks coach Rod Smith at Glenville. Volero also worked with current UA Volero, RichRod ready for reunion UP NEXT • What: Washington State at Arizona • When: Noon Saturday • TV; radio: Pac-12 Arizona; 1290-AM, 107.5-FM, 990-AM (Spanish) See FOOTBALL, B6 NO. 6 ARIZONA 69, SAN DIEGO STATE 60 PHOTOS BY MAMTA POPAT / ARIZONA DAILY STAR Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) reacts after teammate Aaron Gordon (11) completed an alley-oop against San Diego State. TODAY • Who: FC Tucson vs. Chivas USA • When: 7 p.m. • Where: Kino Sports Complex North Stadium • Tickets: fctucson.com See FC TUCSON, B3 UA holds off Aztecs to claim road victory in difficult environs UA guard Nick Johnson drives to the basket and past SDSU forward Matt Shrigley in the second half Thursday. UP NEXT • What: Fairleigh Dickinson at Arizona • When: 9 p.m., Monday • TV; radio: ESPNU; 1290-AM See BASKETBALL, B5
Transcript of SPORTS - TownNewsbloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/tucson.com/...about 30 Yaqui team ridersinEl...
SPORTSFriday, November 15, 2013 • SeCTioN b
SPORTSSPORTSEditor: Ryan Finley / 520-573-4312 / [email protected]
ARIZONA FOOTBALL
By Bruce PascoeARIZONADAILY STAR
SANDIEGO—SanDiegoState’srowdy fans couldn’t do it.TheAz-tecs’ full-court press couldn’t doit. Nor, certainly, could well-re-gardedSDSUbigman JoshDavis.
Only one thing ultimatelystopped the Arizona Wildcats onThursday, and that came aftertheir 69-60 win over San DiegoState: The fog.
It rolled in during the game, somuch so that Arizona wasn’t al-lowed tofire up their charter flightto go home immediately after thegame.
Oh well. Arizona staffersbooked the Wildcats into anotherhotel, and everyone walked out ofViejasArena in a goodmood, any-way.
Whywouldn’t they be in a goodmood? A true road game in No-vember,ataplacewhere theywereembarrassed in a 63-46 loss fouryears earlier?
A place where this time, a14-point leadshrank to just four inthe finalminutes and fanswere on
their feet rooting for a collapse.But then … an alley-oop in-
bounds pass from T.J. McCon-
nell to Aaron Gordon resulted in adunk that moved UA’s lead to six,then a few defensive stops and itwas all over.
“I’m just proud of the fact thatwe came here and played,” UAcoach SeanMiller said. “We camein here not knowing how it wouldwork out and … the fact that weplayed well enough to win willcontinue to give us confidence.”
It alsohelpedMiller continue tomove keyUAplayers into the roleshewants them tobe in.
On top of Gordon’s 16 athlet-ically created points and moresteady ballhandling from McCo-nnell, Nick Johnson moved fur-ther into his role as a leader forthe Wildcats. The junior scored ateam-high 23 points,with 8-of-15shooting (though hemissed 5 of 6
Wildcatshappytohangon
EL TOUR DE TUCSON
By Shannon ConnerSPECIALTO THEARIZONADAILY STAR
As her family held the donatedmountain bike seat, 37-year-oldMelinda Leyva put her feet on thepedals, gripped the handlebarsandwobbled.
Shewas teachingherself how toride.
Feet have led to miles as sherides on Tucson’s west side andaround the Pascua Yaqui Reser-vation.
OnNov. 23, Leyvawill be one ofabout 30 Yaqui team riders in ElTour de Tucson; she will ride the38-mile race. The Yaqui teamwillride as part of the reservation’sDiabetes Prevention and Treat-ment Program.
“Whenwestarted talkingaboutthis race last year, I thought itwould be awesome,” the adminis-trative assistant said.“But I didn’tknowhow to ride. So I taughtmy-self.”
Leyva started cycling to helpsave her life.
The training has been solitaryfor Leyva, who was diagnosedwith Type 2 diabetes about 10years ago. She works out daily atthe Yaqui Wellness Center, andrides on theweekends. “I’ve pret-ty much had to change myself.
(Diabetes) is a huge thing,” shesaid. “You’ve got to get on track,change your food, diet, exercise,keeping upwithmedication.”
Yaqui cyclist inspires, educates
BENJIE SANDERS / ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Melinda Leyva, who has Type 2 diabetes, will ride in this month’s El Tourde Tucson as part of a Yaqui team cycling to raise diabetes awareness.
IF YOU GO•What: El Tour deTucson presentedby Casino del Sol Resort
•When: Nov. 23•Who:About 9,000 cyclists inseven races
• Register online: perimeterbicy-cling.com/el-tour-de-tucson
On StarNet: Check out oursearchable database of resultsfrom El Tour de Tucson from
2006-2012 at azstarnet.com/online/databases
See EL TOUR, B3
FC TUCSON
By Dave OrdARIZONADAILY STAR
Can you hold a reunion whenyou’ve only been around threeyears?
FC Tucson is going to give itthe old pro development leaguetry tonight, when a team com-prisedmainly of the soccer club’sformer players takes the fieldagainst Major League Soccer’sChivas USA. The exhibition willchristen the new Kino SportsComplexNorthStadium.Kickoffis set for 7.
The reunion is unofficial andwill certainly take a back seat, inthe new 1,700-seat grandstand,to the new venue. But withoutthose players who representedtheclub inFCTucson’sfirst threeyears, thereprobablywouldn’t bea newstadium to celebrate.
Fourteen of the 22 names ontheFCTucsonroster for tonight’smatch have put on the black uni-
form at some point since theclub’s inception in 2011. Thatgroup includes four members— Kareem Smith, Reid Schmitt,Michael Kraus and Dom Papa —of the 2012 team that reached theplayoffs in the franchise’s firstyear in the USL Premier Devel-opment League.
“We thought this would bea really cool thing to give toguys like Kareem and Reid andMike Kraus and Dom becausethey took a chance on us at thevery beginning — a lot like the
ReunitedFCTucsontochristenstadiumagainstMLSclub
By Daniel BerkARIZONADAILY STAR
When he was a 23-year-oldhigh school assistant coach,Paul Volero drove four of hisplayers from Miami, Fla., torural West Virginia to play forcoach Rich Rodriguez’s Glen-ville State Pioneers.
After two days in Glenville,W.Va., the always-resourcefulRodriguez pulled the well-builtVolero aside.
“At the end of the weekend,he said, ‘You still look half-de-cent — you wanna play forus?’” a laughing Volero recalledThursday. “I said sure. And therest is history.”
Volero had played two sea-sons at Arizona Western Col-lege. But after he didn’t get anyoffers to continue his career,Volero moved back to SouthFlorida to coach high schoolfootball.
When Rodriguez asked himif he wanted to restart his play-ing career, Volero jumped at thechance.
He played two years for Ro-driguez at Glenville and was onthe 1993 team that played for anNAIAnational championship.
Following his playing career,Volero served as Rodriguez’sdefensive line coach for a seasonatGlenville and thenworked forhimagain for threeyearsatWestVirginia as a graduate assistant.
The two will be back on thesame field Saturday at ArizonaStadium.Volero, now 43, servesas Washington State’s outsidelinebackers coach.
“During the season, we hav-en’t been able to talk, but in theoffseason we do, and he’s stillclose with some other guys onour staff,” Rodriguez said thisweek. “Paul’s a great guy. Hewas always a good recruiter, butmore than anything, he’s justalways had awaywith the kids.”
Volero was teammates withUA quarterbacks coach RodSmith at Glenville. Voleroalso worked with current UA
Volero,RichRodreadyforreunion
UP NEXT•What:Washington State atArizona
•When: Noon Saturday• TV; radio: Pac-12 Arizona;1290-AM, 107.5-FM, 990-AM(Spanish)
See FOOTBALL, B6
NO. 6 ARIZONA 69, SAN DIEGO STATE 60
PHOTOS BYMAMTA POPAT / ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) reacts after teammate Aaron Gordon (11) completed an alley-oop against San Diego State.
TODAY•Who: FC Tucson vs. Chivas USA•When: 7 p.m.•Where: Kino Sports ComplexNorth Stadium• Tickets: fctucson.com
See FC TUCSON, B3
Ua holds off aztecsto claim road victoryin difficult environs
UA guard Nick Johnson drives to the basket and past SDSU forward MattShrigley in the second half Thursday.
UP NEXT•What: Fairleigh Dickinson atArizona
•When: 9 p.m., Monday• TV; radio: ESPNU; 1290-AM
See BASKETBALL, B5
