Game Day Kaimin, November 3, 2007 Students of the Niu Versity of Montana, Missoula
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Associated Students of the University of Montana Montana Kaimin, 1898-present (ASUM) 11-3-2007 Game Day Kaimin, November 3, 2007 Students of The niU versity of Montana, Missoula Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper Recommended Citation Students of The nivU ersity of Montana, Missoula, "Game Day Kaimin, November 3, 2007" (2007). Montana Kaimin, 1898-present. 5062. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/studentnewspaper/5062 This Newspaper is brought to you for free and open access by the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Kaimin, 1898-present by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Saturday, November 3, 2007 The Kaimin is the daily student newspaper at the University of Montana Kickoff 12:05 PM The original, complete guide to Grizzly athletics GameDayKaimin FindingFinding hishis way ack Bbyby ack BAmberAmber Kuehn Kuehn GDGD KK montana vs. portland state www.montanakaimin.com 2 GameDay Kaimin Saturday, November 3, 2007 Tim Kupsick/GameDay Kaimin Senior Grizzly cornerback Chris Clark chases wide reciever Cory Fauver during the first quarter against Northern Colorado. Clark had six tackles against last week’s opponent Northern Arizona. Cornerback tackles injury, then opponents Amber Kuehn just did because I needed to, and track,” Clark said. injury stop me.’ I just took it as “I’m just enjoying it right now,” now I like it a lot,” Clark said. He set a school record in the one more challenge I had to get he said. “It’s hard to come to grips GAMEDAY KAIMIN Clark played Pop Warner foot- 100-meter dash, finishing in 10.5 by,” he said. with it being my last season, so here are certain ball for five or six years, playing seconds. The injury sidelined him for the I’m just soaking everything in and things people just quarterback, running back and A talented athlete, Clark didn’t remainder of 2005 and much of enjoying the little things.” can’t help but cornerback. see the day coming when he’d 2006. Little things like an 8-0 record, notice when they “I had my hand in everything on have to temporarily give up sports. But Clark triumphed and is back a top 5 ranking, and a shot at the look at Chris the field,” he said. Marion was going through some piecing together a stellar senior national title. Clark. “I kind of fell in love with foot- financial troubles during Clark’s season. “Out of all the teams I’ve been The dreadlocks, ball after Pop Warner. The compe- junior year, so Clark and his broth- “It takes a special person to on and all the sports I’ve played, the excitement tition, the one-on-one battles all er, Tim went to live with an uncle come back from injury like that, I’ve never been on an undefeated after a hard hit, the way he stops to over the field always pulled me to in Riverside, Calif. Clark didn’t and I’m proud of him,” Marion team,” he said. “It would be very Tacknowledge the student section football more than any other like it much, and moved in with said. “I wanted him to give up special, tremendously amazing, if as he runs out of the tunnel in sport.” his mom and commuted to school. football. I didn’t want injury con- we could keep that (win streak) all Washington-Grizzly Stadium. That didn’t mean that Clark for- But because of a transfer rule, stantly following him for life. But the way to Chattanooga.” But there are other, less obvious got about other sports. During his Clark was ineligible to play sports Chris isn’t a quitter. He’s relent- The last time the Griz went to things about the senior corner- prep years, Clark went to live with his senior season. less.” the national title game, Clark did- back, who just turned 23 this past his father, Marion, in Los Angeles, “(UM head coach Bobby) UM defensive coordinator n’t get to go. It was the year Clark Tuesday. Things one might never where he was a three-sport athlete Hauck had caught some games my Kraig Paulson said Clark has been struggled with grades, and he says guess. at Cathedral High, an all-boys junior year and liked what he saw consistent since his return, an ele- he will never forget what went The see-saw childhood that Catholic school. In addition to on the football field,” Clark said. ment that is especially key for cor- through his mind the day of the bounced him back and forth football, Clark was successful in “He liked my speed.” nerbacks. semifinal game: “The fans were between homes, the obstacles he’s baseball and track. At the time, Hauck was an “As a corner, you don’t get a lot rushing the field, and I just looked had to overcome both on the field “To be honest, I always thought assistant at the University of of help,” Paulson said. “And a lot around and told myself that some- and in the classroom, the tattoos he was a better baseball player Washington. Clark wasn’t hearing of times it comes down to the abil- how I was going to triumph back. hidden beneath the sleeves of his than football,” Marion said. “He’d from a lot of schools and was con- ity to make that one play. He’s I desperately wanted to be part of No. 21 uniform. play center field, but I’ll tell (you) sidering attending junior college. done that for us this year.” a championship team.” This is the story about a 5-foot- he could’ve been the only one out But when Hauck was named the Paulson said seniors are told to 11 football player who dons a there and still made plays in left head coach at UM, Clark got a do everything they can now and lark’s dad is the youngest of maroon and silver uniform with and right.” phone call. not look back and wish they had. 12 children and his mom is pride. But more importantly, this Baseball was the first sport “He offered me a full scholar- He said Clark is the definition of Cthe second oldest of five. is a story about someone who had Clark ever tried. He began playing ship to Montana,” he said. “And that. Clark says his family members to learn to deal with adversity and when he was just 5 years old. he’s the reason I’m here.” “He’s come through some were all very active in sports, and draw inspiration from the people “I played it ever since I could Unfortunately, Clark’s senior things a lot of players wouldn’t can rattle off the names of football- closest to him. pick up a glove or bat,” he said. year of high school wasn’t the last have been able to,” Paulson said. playing relatives. Tim, two years But it was football where Clark time he’d have to watch from the “He realizes this is it, and he plays younger than Chris, is a cornerback lark’s parents divorced when would go on to have the most suc- sidelines. like it.” for Oregon State. he was 11. At the time, he cess. He was chosen Cathedral He was forced to redshirt in Clark had a career-high six solo “Football has always been deeply Cand his younger brother Tim High School’s “Defensive Player 2004 due to academic struggles. tackles against Eastern rooted in my family,” Clark said. went to live with their mother in of the Year” and was selected first- After overcoming those, a differ- Washington this year and tallied Gridiron greats outside of his Buena Park, Calif. That was when team cornerback by the Los ent kind of trouble struck. In a eight total tackles at Sacramento bloodline have influenced him. both boys began playing football Angeles Times. November 2005, Clark injured his State. He has 39 tackles this sea- People like Deion Sanders, the cor- as a way to stay busy and keep Clark’s football coach was also leg. son. In UM’s most recent game at nerback all cornerbacks look their minds off family issues. the track coach. “I just felt alienated for awhile, Northern Arizona he amassed six “It started out as something I “If you played football, you ran and had to think ‘I can’t let this stops and broke up a pass. CLARK continued on page 4 3 Montana vs. Portland State Amber Kuehn GAMEDAY KAIMIN Idaho State at Weber State same offensive outburst against Sky contest, a 34-0 shutout on the yards and two touchdowns. Prior (1:35 p.m.) the Bengals that they did against road. to that, he only had seven grabs all Northern Arizona at Montana The Bengals are coming off a the Vikings, the Wildcats should In that game, quarterback Matt year. State (12:05 p.m.) 20-point loss to Cal Poly. Weber win easily. Nichols led four touchdown Torrell Baker, who hadn’t had a The Lumberjacks are coming State is coming off a record- scores in just the first 19 minutes reception since Sept. 29 and only off a 21-16 loss to Montana, but breaking performance, scoring 73 Northern Colorado at Eastern of the game.