2C • MONDAY, JULY 28, 2014OSPORTS MAHA WORLD-HERALD HUSKER CAMP COLLEGE FOOTBALL COUNTDOWN: NO. 16 From now until the start of fall camp, The World-Herald Female official a fi rst in Big 12 game will be counting down the top 50 players you need to know THE ASSOCIATED PRESS him, half-jokingly, how one heading into the 2014 football season. gets a job on a chain crew. He Cat Conti never played sports, suggested she pursue on-field let alone had any interest in Cethan Carter • 6-4 • 240 • Sophomore • Tight end them, when she was growing up officiating instead. A few months later, he brought her a newspa- Potential seems to ooze from the talented second- in Southern California. She want- ed to be a Hollywood star. per clipping about an upcoming year player who has the size of a tight end but runs orientation meeting for prospec- like a receiver. The challenge will be for the offense Like many wannabe actors, she found herself waiting tables tive officials. to put him to better use — and take advantage of “I thought, ‘Why not?’” Conti more mismatches — after Carter caught 10 passes after college. And had it not been for her getting to know a high said. as a true freshman but often seemed to be a target That was in 2000. Conti as- on plays that just didn’t work. No doubt a full year school coach at the sports grill cended through the high school in the system, rather than a few months, will have where she worked, she wouldn’t him better prepared in 2014. Also, Nebraska’s be among the four women who and junior college ranks and, production at tight end slipped to 22 receptions will be on-field officials in the by 2010, had to resign from her last season after it hit 48 the year before when Kyler Reed and Ben Football Bowl Subdivision this job as a ninth-grade English and Cotton were seniors. — Rich Kaipust season. drama teacher so she could go The 38-year-old Conti has been all in on officiating. She now does For previous entries in this series, go to Omaha.com/bigred assigned to the Southeast Mis- personal training to supplement souri State-Kansas game Sept. her officiating income. 6, making her the fi rst woman Conti said she’s taken no more to work a football game in the abuse than a male official would Big 12. and that no one has outwardly “The ultimate goal is to be questioned her ability based on BRIEFLY able to do it at the highest level,” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS her gender. Conti said. “Tennis players want AUTO RACING African player also won the 2010 Cat Conti will work the Southeast Missouri State-Kansas game Sept. Kansas coach Charlie Weis to play Wimbledon, golfers want 6, making her the fi rst woman to officiate a Big 12 football game. “The joked last week that he would Players Championship. to play Pebble Beach, and foot- ultimate goal is to be able to do it at the highest level,” Conti said. Gordon markS anniversary Furyk, the two-time Canadian have to watch his language in the ball players want to get to the presence of Conti. with record Indy victory Open champion who took a Super Bowl. The reality of it is, Conference USA has three end, that’s what I’m judged by three-stroke lead into the fi nal Weis needn’t worry. Conti INDIANAPOLIS — With a fi fth I’m hoping I get a second Big 12 female officials in Sarah Thom- — do they get the call right, do won’t be able to hear him be- round, fi nished with a 69. The game ever in my life.” as, Maia Chaka and Amanda they manage the game right. It Brickyard 400 victory on the line cause she’ll be working as center 44-year-old American matched Conti will work mostly as a Sauer. Thomas and Chaka also behooves me to put people on the Sunday, Jeff Gordon looked like judge, the eighth official who Clark with a birdie on the par-3 line judge in the Mountain West will work some NFL preseason fi eld who can make that happen. the driver he was 20 years ago. stands in the offensive backfield 17th and a par on the par-4 for the second straight year. She games as part of the league’s The fact we have diversity, is Gordon nailed the fi nal restart opposite the referee. She will 18th. landed the Big 12 gig through developmental program. that a thought-out process? In of the race — no given because On No. 18, Clark left a 45-foot watch the interior line for hold- restarts have been Gordon’s the league’s officiating partner- C-USA supervisor of officials reality, yes. We should have birdie putt about six feet short, ship with the Mountain West and Gerry Austin said he’s noticed diversity.” ing and ready the ball for play. Achilles’ heel — to pass and Furyk missed left on a Conti said all she wants is to Hendrick Motorsports teammate FCS-level Southland Conference. more women working high Conti, from Thousand Oaks, 12-footer. Clark sealed the win Mountain West Supervisor school and small-college games California, said she knew noth- be treated like one of the guys. Kasey Kahne with 17 laps by holing the 6-footer for par. “If everybody has to watch remaining at Indianapolis Motor of Officials Ken Rivera said the past decade. Austin said the ing about football before she Furyk is 0 for 7 with the 54-hole Conti has moved up on merit and women he hired in C-USA have dated a boy in high school who their language, or if everybody Speedway. lead since winning the 2010 Tour has to watch how they conduct His power move from the hasn’t drawn much notice from proved to be every bit as good was a San Francisco 49ers fan. Championship for the last of his coaches — which is a good thing. as their male colleagues when it She developed a passion for the themselves and I’m ‘super sen- outside lane past Kahne put 16 PGA Tour titles. “Usually coaches don’t call me comes to fi eld presence, knowl- game in college and became sitive Suzy,’ then I don’t belong Gordon out front for good, and In other tournaments: to tell me how good an official edge and ability to apply the fascinated with the chain crew out there,” Conti said. “I’m in he kicked it into cruise control » Carlota Ciganda breezed to is,” Rivera said. “They call be- rules. on the sideline. their world. That’s the reality. I for a NASCAR-record fi fth victory an early victory to set the tone, cause they have an issue, and we “If they get the call right, I She was waitressing the day am inserting myself into their at historic Indy. The win came on and Spain won all four of its haven’t had any blowback with don’t care if they’re women or she met local high school coach universe, and I’m just happy to the 20th anniversary celebration singles matches to capture the Cat at all.” mutants,” Austin said. “In the George Contreras and asked be there.” of Gordon’s win in the inaugural inaugural International Crown at Brickyard 400, and on “Jeff Owings Mills, Maryland. Sweden Gordon Day” as declared by the fi nished second in the eight-team mayor of Indianapolis. tournament. The win moved Gordon into a » Bernhard Langer ran away tie with Michael Schumacher, with the Senior British Open Barfknecht: Big Ten chock-full of elite running backs whose fi ve Formula One victories for his fourth senior major title, at Indy had been the gold fi nishing a Champions Tour- Continued from Page 1 Ten media days? Here are some possibili- way Iowa likes to roll. Coach Kirk Ferentz’s ties: teams have been better coming out of the standard. record 13 strokes ahead of Abdullah was fi rst in the Big Ten and sev- middle of the pack. But with a veteran offense, Kyle Busch fi nished second, Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie at enth nationally in rushing at 130 yards per TITLE? IT’S BEEN AWHILE good defensive playmakers up front and a 2.325 seconds behind Gordon, Bridgend, Wales. game (1,690 yards overall). Wisconsin junior schedule you couldn’t hardly hand-craft any and was followed by Joe Gibbs The 56-year-old German closed Melvin Gordon was 12th nationally at 123.7 It’s almost become a parlor game at media better, the Hawkeyes should start high and aim Racing teammates Denny Hamlin with a 4-under 67 at sunny Royal yards a game (1,609 overall) and 7.8 yards days to guess how many minutes it takes for higher. and Matt Kenseth. Porthcawl to fi nish at 18-under per carry. someone to ask the Nebraska contingent In other news: 266. Don’t sleep on Gordon’s backup, either. about not winning a conference championship Two years ago, Iowa went 4-8 and Ferentz » Carl Edwards’ 11-year run » At Overland Park, Kansas, Corey Clement ran for 547 yards at 8.2 yards since 1999. took a lot of heat. Now, after fl ipping nearly with Roush-Fenway Racing will Zack Sucher won the Midwest a clip as a true freshman. Clement is my One way to get a sense for how long ago that was his entire staff of assistants since then, the end after this NASCAR season.