Prep soccer ■ Urbana enjoys return to field with shutout vic- tory, and Rantoul posts its first varsity win. SPORTS C — C-3 Wednesday, April 10, 2002

UI will miss SPRING SIGNING PERIOD camaraderie most of all “No matter what five we bring in, we’ll never recruit five better people than those who are leaving us.” — Illini coach radually, in the course of Tues- day’s Kiwanis ban- G quet, it became clear to the 610 in attendance why Illinois has enjoyed its run of success. These guys love each other. They really do. The tears that poured down the old stone face, Cory Bradford, were real. Even Mr. Energy, Lucas Johnson, sputtered and broke down when he received a “hustle” trophy named after his late good friend, Matt Heldman. So, you see, Bill Self is losing more than 5,040 points, more than 2,110 rebounds, more than the 13,273 minutes of varsity action accumulated by Johnson, Brad- ford, Frank Williams, Robert Archibald and Damir Krupalija. He is losing the camaraderie, the TATELINES teamwork and the guts that became LOREN TATE evident at the end of a dismal 1999 season, when a freshman-sparked team came charging out of last place to defeat Top 25 teams Minnesota, Indiana and Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament. And they’ve been bouncing back ever since, sharing the 2001 Big Ten title with a star- studded Michigan State club and bat- tling back from a 4-5 start to gain a News-Gazette photo by John Dixon share with an 11-5 record this season ... and making it to the Elite Eight and ▲ Dee Brown: McDonald’s All-American the jewel of a nationally recognized recruiting class Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. “We came from such different back- grounds, and now it looks like we grew up on the same street,” said Archibald, a tall Scot who arrived by way of St. Louis. Archibald battled back trouble It’s one classy move throughout his career, Self joking that “he’d play one day and take the next day off ... a good deal if you can get it. ■ Future Illini have But when the time came, he competed.” shot at sticking Overcoming the odds So it was with all of them. Krupalija together for a while sat out what amounted to an entire sea- son with myriad injuries and, like By BRETT DAWSON Archibald, never complained. Bradford News-Gazette Staff Writer made no excuses when knee trouble CHAMPAIGN — Al McGuire once slowed him to a walk as a junior, and he said the best thing about freshmen is closed strong this season to finish a that eventually they become sopho- career in which he started every game. mores. And Self called Williams “a warrior” The best thing about Illinois’ for the way he took “undeserved heat incoming basketball frosh could be this season. While he comes across as a that they eventually become juniors. guy with ice water in his veins, what I Recruiting analysts are likely to ▲ ▲ Aaron Spears ▲ ▲ Kyle Wilson found is that he loves his teammates.” rank Bill Self’s second Illinois class As a quintet, they were welded among the nation’s best, but the real are going to have great years and ings of one of its best recruiting years from now, conceivably could be together by the difficulties they were impact of the Illini’s 2002 recruiting leave after one year,” Harrington classes. the best in the nation from this class. obliged to overcome. On this team, indi- class might be down the road. said. “But I do think they can help “I think Aaron Spears is one of the I assume some of the other guys are vidualism — a team-splitting element “I think it’s conceivable that down them next year. A guy like Spears has top two or three unsigned big men in going to make an early jump (to the for many — was never a consideration. the road, this class will actually stick the physical maturity to play in the the nation,” said Bob Gibbons of All- NBA), where I think Illinois’ class Each one was willing to make the extra together,” said Rob Harrington of Big Ten right away, and I like that Star Sports, who ranks Spears the could be there for the long haul. pass, right up to the final seconds Prep Stars. “They may actually about Deron Williams, too. I think he 82nd-best player in the class. “To That’s the future of college basket- against Kansas, when first Krupalija evolve into juniors and seniors can guard some of the bigger guards get him and add him to a class that ball: finding talented players who and then Sean Harrington passed on the together.” in the Big Ten.” we had ranked among our top 20 in aren’t going to bail on you after one shot Williams ultimately missed. Until then, Self will have to make Brown is the crown jewel of the the fall, I think Illinois could very good year.” When it was mentioned that do with them as freshmen. class. The News-Gazette All-State well end up with a top-10 recruiting And the future at Illinois is bright Archibald, Krupalija and Johnson lived But his five incoming players — Player of the Year is a McDonald’s class when it’s all said and done.” if this is, as Gibbons suspects, the together, Archibald added: “Yes, and James Augustine of Lincoln-Way All-American and the highest-pro- Harrington echoed that sentiment, beginning of a run of top-ranked Cory lived with us when we were soph- Central, Dee Brown of Proviso East, file signee in Illinois’ haul. saying when his publication’s final classes. omores. We weren’t a highly touted Deron Williams of The Colony, Texas, Add in Williams, like Brown recruiting class rankings are estab- “Bill Self has done a nice job with group, except for Frank. We had so Kyle Wilson of Dallas Jesuit and ranked one of the class’ top 10 lished this fall, Illinois figures to be this class, going into Chicago and get- much in common, and yet we’re so dif- Aaron Spears of Chicago Dunbar, guards, and a trio of big men with among the top 10 nationally. ting an Aaron Spears, going into ferent. who signed today — should be capa- skills both in the post (Spears, “Certainly it’s an elite class with Texas for a Deron Williams,” Gibbons “I feel good about everything I’ve ble of helping out as rookies. Augustine) and on the perimeter two great guards,” Harrington said. done here. I came in knowing it would “I don’t think these are guys who (Wilson), and Illinois has the mak- “And that group of big men, three Please see ILLINI, C-5 be a long process and we’d have a chance by our junior year. We’ve been through a lot of tough spots. To suc- ceed, it had to be all of us together. This was never about individual accomplish- Woods still Cards’ super sub ment. There was always a team-first mentality.” A cohesive unit man to beat Looking back, the Faithful Five could sinks Milwaukee have made last year’s movie, “The ST. LOUIS (AP) — Even Eli More on baseball: Replacements,” because that’s what at Masters Marrero is surprised by his siz- ■ Cubs top Mets, C-2. they were. Only Williams was on Lon AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Tiger Woods zling start. ■ Kruger’s A-list. If Kruger had his Finley wins, C-2. walked briskly out of the Augusta National Marrero had three hits, rais- ■ druthers, he’d have taken Bobby Sim- clubhouse Tuesday morning and was headed ing his average to .733, and Tigers tab Pujols, C-2. mons and Lance Williams and Corey for the first tee, unaware of a small problem scored the go-ahead run as the Maggette and Quentin Richardson, and his caddie already solved. Cardinals beat the Milwaukee bottom half on four walks by that team almost surely would have A wooden clock at the tee box told golfers Brewers 6-5 on Tuesday night. Takahito Nomura, the last com- been shattered by early defections. the course would open at 8, but it was only “I can’t even imagine it,” Mar- ing on four pitches with the These Illini stuck together, even Frank 7:25. rero said. “I’m not going to think bases loaded to Tino Martinez. Williams remaining an extra year, pos- about it.” Marrero led off the eighth sibly to his own detriment. More on the Masters: Marrero, who entered the sea- with a single and went to third But if Williams fell in the draft, ■ Mark Whicker column, C-6. son as a .229 hitter and the No. 3 when Cabrera slipped and fell here’s what he said: “This is the place I ■ Daly makes his return, C-6. catcher, has been playing the fielding pinch hitter Miguel wanted to be. I’d send my own son ■ Notes from Augusta, C-6. outfield and is 11 for 15 with a Cairo’s bunt and then bounced a here.” Associated Press home run and five RBI. He hit a wild throw to first for an error. That’s what came across at the Steve Williams simply moved the hands Tiger Woods comes out of a bunker near two-run double in the second, Marrero barely beat the throw Round Barn: a deep-seeded loyalty that back a half-hour, and when Woods arrived at the seventh green Tuesday at Augusta singled and scored in the fourth from right fielder Alex Ochoa on was cemented over time, that was cele- 7:28, the defending champion flicked the big National Golf Club. Woods will begin and singled and scored on Fer- Vina’s sacrifice fly. brated while next season’s projected hand back two more minutes. Then he teed up defending his Masters title Thursday. nando Vina’s sacrifice fly off Brewers starter Ruben Big Ten leaders, Indiana and Michigan his ball and launched a drive that landed safe- Jose Cabrera (0-1) in the eighth. Quevedo also botched a bunt State, are suffering defections by soph- ly just left of the massive fairway bunker. So what else is new? “I’m just going out there when play, falling down and throwing omore stars who, by any judgment, are Yes, it’s always Tiger Time at the Masters. Woods set 20 records when he won the Mas- he gives me a chance and having wildly on Stephenson’s sacrifice not ready for the NBA. Most of the focus at the 66th Masters is the ters in his professional debut in 1997, includ- fun,” Marrero said. “That’s all in the fourth. All the better for , who renovation of Augusta National, which ing the 72-hole scoring record (270) and the I’m doing: going out and having “I don’t know what happened probably will be the Big Ten Preseason stretched the course by 285 yards and margin of victory (12 strokes). some fun, trying to play hard, out there,” Brewers manager Player of the Year and will join hands changed half of the holes. Even more stunning was his performance and see what happens at the end Davey Lopes said. “You’ve got to with Harrington and Blandon Ferguson What hasn’t changed is the man to beat. last year, when he became the first player to of the game.” be able to field a bunt out there.” as senior leaders next season. “The player to look at is the No. 1 player sweep the four professional majors by hold- The Cards’ bullpen couldn’t Dave Veres (1-0) pitched two Theirs is an enormous challenge. The ranked in the world: Tiger,” Phil Mickelson ing off David Duval and Mickelson, his chief hold a 4-0 lead and ruined a fine innings for the win. Jason UI only has occasionally seen the spe- said. “He’s the guy that everybody has got to rivals, on the back nine for a 2-stroke victory. start by Garrett Stephenson in Isringhausen struck out three cial magic that brought the Faithful watch out for. And given his length and accu- When the Masters begins Thursday, Woods the seventh as the Brewers ral- batters for his first save after Five together. racy and distance control, he’s going to be the lied for five runs to take the Geoff Jenkins’ leadoff double Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. guy to beat.” Please see MASTERS, C-6 lead. But St. Louis tied it in the against Steve Kline.