The Lumberjack

Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Stephanie Haller

Media Credit: Stephanie Haller

FOOTBALL
The 2007 season has not been kind to the 'Jacks as Humboldt State University suffered its second-consecutive loss to open the year.

After losing to nationally-ranked North Dakota 59-0 in the first Division-II football game of the season, the 'Jacks fell just short in a 23-21 loss to the Mesa State Mavericks in Grand Junction, Colo.

Senior wide receiver Richard Perkins scored the first of Humboldt State's three touchdowns on a 64-yard pass play in the first quarter that gave Humboldt State a 7-0 lead. With just under six minutes remaining in the first half, senior running back Marcus Cox found the end-zone on a 26-yard run to put the 'Jacks up 14-0.

However, Mesa State scored twice within the final five minutes to the cut the deficit to 14-10.
Humboldt State didn't score again until the fourth quarter when sophomore wide receiver Edwin Henry broke loose on an 85-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Brian Hildebrand. The score put the 'Jacks up 21-20, but Mesa State regained the lead on a 40-yard field goal. The 'Jacks had one last chance to with less than two minutes remaining in the game, but an interception sealed the win for Mesa State.

The 'Jacks will be on the road again this week. Humboldt State will travel to Ellensburg Washington to face the Central Washington Wildcats on Saturday at 1 p.m.

CROSS COUNTRY
Junior runner Jimmy Elam paced the men's cross country team to a 3rd place finish in the Nevada-Reno Invitational on Friday night. Elam placed seventh overall with a time of 20 minutes and 12 seconds in a race loaded with Division I runners. Also finishing in the top 20 were Jason Lewis and Eric Tibbets.

On the women's side, Megan Rolland was the top finisher for Humboldt State. The sophomore finished the race in a time of 16 minutes and 38 seconds to place 17th overall. Irene Graham and Claire Nowell finished in 26th and 27th, respectively.

The team finished the day in fifth place behind four Division I schools.

This weekend will mark the only chance to catch both teams in action locally. On Saturday both teams will compete in the Humboldt Invitational at Patrick's Point State Park.

VOLLEYBALL
With the preseason over, the Humboldt State volleyball team can now focus on the competition in the highly competitive California Collegiate Athletic Association.

Through the first eight games the Jacks are 4-4. The team competed over the weekend in the Nanook Volleyball Classic at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, coming away with a 1-2 record in the tournament.

Humboldt State beat the Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans 3-1, but was defeated by the West Florida Argonauts 3-0 and the host Alaska-Fairbanks Nanooks 3-1.

The CCAA season kicks off this weekend, as Humboldt State will host two games to begin conference play. On Friday the 'Jacks will take on the Chico State Wildcats and on Saturday Humboldt State hosts the CSU Stanislaus Warriors. Both games begin at 7 p.m. in the East Gym.

MEN'S SOCCER
Four games into the season the Humboldt State men's soccer team has been unable to play consistently. While the team has scored 10 goals and recorded two blowouts, they were unable to find the back of the net in their other two games and currently possess an overall record of 2-2.

This past weekend Humboldt State hosted the Quizno's Soccer Classic. On Monday the 'Jacks couldn't get any offensive production going as the team was shutout by the Notre Dame de Namur Argonauts by a score of 1-0.

On Thursday the team cruised to victory in a 7-0 blowout of St. Martin's. Sophomore midfielder Roland Demombynes recorded three goals and an assistant for Humboldt State.

Sophomore midfielder Adam Tschannen and senior forward Trel Mangarin each added a goal and an assist for the 'Jacks.

A week earlier the 'Jacks competed in the Sonoma Seawolf Classic. The team defeated Grand Canyon 3-1 but lost 3-0 to Seattle University in the opener.

This weekend the 'Jacks will be on the road for a pair of games. The team will travel to Redding to play the Simpson University Redhawks on Friday. Two days later the team opens the conference season with a game at the CSU Los Angeles Golden Eagles.

WOMEN'S SOCCER
After going winless in the team's first three games, the Humboldt State women's soccer team has rebounded to go undefeated in their last two games.

The games, which were part of the Lumberjack Classic, were also the team's first home games of the season. On Monday the 'Jacks came from behind late to force a 1-1 tie with the Notre Dame de Namur Argonauts. Junior midfielder Meghan Connolly scored in the 87th minute to prevent Humboldt State from losing its third game of the season. With the tie the 'Jacks currently possess an overall record of 1-2-2. Notre Dame de Namur remains withless with a record of 0-3-1.

Four days earlier Humboldt State's offense erupted for four goals, including three in the second half to propel the team to victory over the St. Martin's Saints.

Freshman forward Kim Carroll and sophomore forward Tisha Cotta each recorded two goals for Humboldt State.

This weekend the 'Jacks will travel to Redding and Los Angeles for a pair of road games. The following week the team will host the Chico State Wildcats in Humboldt State's conference home opener.

Garrett Purchio can be reached at gmoneykid@comcast.net

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