Friday, 4.4.14 ON THE WEB: www.yankton.net sports SPORTS DEPARTMENT: [email protected] PRESS DAKOTAN PAGE 7A GFP Keeps Starting Date For Archery Deer Hunting BY BOB MERCER The commission’s 6-0 decision There were 39 e-mails and letters who is executive director for the dates can be part of the survey, he State Capitol Bureau keeps the opener on the fourth Sat- supporting the earlier start and 16 South Dakota Wildlife Federation, a said. urday of September — at least for in opposition. One person testified sportsman’s group. The concept began with legisla- OACOMA — South Dakota’s this fall and probably next year too. at the public hearing held by the Kirschenmann said the easiest tion introduced during the 2014 ses- main archery season for hunting The state Wildlife Division plans commission Thursday. way to describe the comments is a sion by Rep. Dan Kaiser, deer isn’t changing, at least for now. to develop a management plan in Chris Hesla of Pierre spoke in diversity of opinions. “A lot of good R-Aberdeen. Curtis Kline of Ab- The state Game, Fish and Parks 2015 for all deer hunting seasons. support of the concept of an earlier questions, a lot of good explana- erdeen said in a message to the Commission rejected a request The starting date and length of start but said it’s more important to tions,” he said. commission that he had contacted Thursday to open the season two the archery hunt will be part of the get the new management plan done The deer management plan will Kaiser with the idea. weeks earlier by shifting to the sec- considerations, game chief Tom first. include a public survey of thou- ond Saturday in September. Kirschenmann said. “It’s not the time,” said Hesla, sands of sportsmen, and starting McDermott Named Player Of Year AP: Wichita State’s Marshall Named Coach of The Year Fun Tourney, ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) member panel that votes for Cloudy Future — Wichita State coach Gregg the Top 25. Russ Smith of Marshall is growing accus- Louisville received the only tomed to being center stage dissenting vote. For NCAA at the Final Four. He just “This is a huge honor,” ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) wishes his team was with him said McDermott, who was — The tournament that this time around. joined at the news confer- began with the lure of a bil- After leading the Shockers ence by his father, Creighton lion-dollar bracket will end at to the national semifinals a coach Greg McDermott, along a billion-dollar stadium out- year ago, Marshall deftly with his mother and sister. side of Dallas. guided them through a per- “It’s been a heck of a ride,” Big as March Madness and fect regular season, earning a McDermott said. “It has been the Final Four have become, No. 1 seed in the NCAA tour- a great four years.” they’re not big enough to blot nament. While they were The award ceremony was out the storm clouds on the done in by Kentucky in the also a reunion for Marshall horizon. The NCAA has is- third round, by then the and McDermott, who became sues looming — among them, votes had already been tabu- familiar with each other the possible unionization of lated. when Wichita State and players and a lawsuit chal- Marshall was the runaway Creighton tussled for Mis- lenging the NCAA’s ban on winner of the AP coach of the souri Valley supremacy. paying players. year award. But when the Bluejays If the NCAA loses either He accepted his hardware skipped to the Big East, it case, it would threaten al- during a news conference cleared the way for Mar- most everything. That in- Thursday at AT&T Stadium, shall’s Shockers to romp cludes its most lucrative and where the Wildcats will play through a weakened league intoxicating event: The bas- Wisconsin and UConn will and have one of the finest ketball tournament, which is meet Florida in the national seasons in Division I history. celebrating best-in-a-genera- semifinals Saturday night. Wichita State won its first tion TV ratings, a record “I’m truly honored,” Mar- 35 games, a record for a number of overtime games shall said. “It’s amazing what men’s major college program, and a staple of big-name pro- our young guys and our pro- and became the first team to grams in the Final Four — gram were able to accom- enter the NCAA tournament Florida, Wisconsin, Connecti- plish this year, with the with a perfect record since cut and Kentucky. tremendous win streak and UNLV in 1991. With his motto “If the NCAA loses, you’ve the run they took us all on. of “play angry,” the Shockers opened a Pandora’s box that I’ve been coaching for a long embodied the intense nature will generate problems, ques- time, but when you have a of their blue-collar coach, tions and concerns for group like this, they make it who came up through tiny decades,” says Arthur Miller, really special.” schools such as Randolph- the chairman of New York Speaking of special, Macon to reach the pinnacle University’s Sports and Soci- Creighton star Doug McDer- of his sport. ety program. “It may be the mott was a near-unanimous Along the way, the Shock- end of the NCAA. It certainly pick as the AP player of the ers captured their first Mis- will reduce the power of the year after a senior season souri Valley tournament title NCAA.” that left him the fifth-leading since 1987 and landed for- For the last three weeks, RON JENKINS/FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM/MCT scorer in Division I history. ward Cleanthony Early and AP Player of the Year Doug McDermott, of Creighton University, holds his trophy for the cameras dur- the NCAA’s sway over Amer- McDermott received all ing a press conference to announce the winner at AT&T Stadium Thursday in Arlington, Texas. Arling- ica has been strong as ever. but one vote from the 65- AWARDS | PAGE 8A ton is hosting the NCAA 2014 Final Four basketball tournament. The average 9.8 million viewers are the highest in 21 years. The 6.2 rating is tied with last season as the best for the tournament since S.C. North Star 2005. Women’s Basketball Final Four Loaded With Stars The NCAA’s 14-year, $10.8 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The man) Lexie Brown,” Irish coach Muffet seems to have become an annual rite for Headed To MMC billion TV contract made women’s basketball Final Four features McGraw said. “I think she’s really come UConn, Notre Dame and Stanford. The Sioux City, Iowa, North every game available on a na- Hall of Fame coaches, star players, fabu- into her own since that game.” Huskies have been to the national semifi- tional telecast and there was lous freshmen and of course for the first UConn had a little easier time with nals seven straight years while the Irish standout Sean Morin will at- tend Mount Marty College plenty to watch, including a time ever — two undefeated teams. Stanford back in November, cruising to a have made four straight. Stanford had a record-tying seven overtimes Welcome to Music City, UConn, Notre 19-point win. run of five in a row snapped last season and play baseball for the Lancers, the institution an- and about as many games Dame, Stanford, and Maryland. Connecticut was victorious despite by Georgia, but the Cardinal are back that came down to a made or The Huskies have been on season- losing Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis early in again for the sixth time in seven years. nounced on Thursday. long quest to repeat and win a record the second half to an elbow injury and Maryland is the newcomer, reaching the Morin, a missed shot at the buzzer. ninth national championship. While such star sophomore Breanna Stewart in foul Final Four for the first time since 2006 — utility player, Meanwhile, Warren Buf- a talented lineup returning, it wasn’t a trouble. the year they won the national title. helped North fett’s offer of $1 billion to any- huge surprise UConn would have a FRESHMEN FOCUS: Lexie Brown has to a 24-13 one who could fill out a chance to go unbeaten. The Irish’s unde- Here are five things to look for in the had an impressive tournament. The record last perfect bracket served to feated season was more unexpected. Es- Final Four: Maryland freshman scored 20 points, in- season. bring more casual fans into pecially with the loss of guard Skylar STAR POWER: There is no shortage of cluding hitting nine of 10 free throws, to “I am very the mix. Nobody won the bil- Diggins to graduation. star players in the Final Four. Four of the get the Terps to the Final Four. She excited about lion. Still, the two teams are on course for five first-team All-Americans are still play- earned All-Regional honors. Notre Dame the commit- But the billions really at an unprecedented national champi- ing. Maryland’s Alyssa Thomas has first-year player Taya Reimer has also ment of Sean Morin stake are those the NCAA dis- onship showdown, if they can get by raised her game in the NCAA tournament played well, and will likely get more op- to the base- tributes to its member Stanford and Maryland. while Stanford’s Chiney Ogwumike has portunities with Achonwa sidelined. ball program. Sean should be schools from the TV deal.