Internationally
Tomba wins 6th Cup race in 7 starts
KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia - Italian star Alberto Tomba won his sixth World Cup race in seven starts Friday, easily overpowering the field for his second straight giant slalom victory.
Tomba, who won his first giant slalom in nearly three years Dec. 22 at Alta Badia, Italy, finished 0.94 seconds ahead of Slovenia's Mitja Kunc and Norway's Harald Strand Nilsen with a two-run time of 2 minutes, 12.01 seconds.
Tomba leads Switzerland's Michael Von Gruenigen 650-316 in his bid to join Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark as the only slalom specialist to win the title.
Nationally
Eyestone favored in USA Championship
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Although Ed Eyestone enters the 1995 Men's USA Marathon Championship as the prohibitive favorite, he's not predicting an easy run Saturday through the streets of Charlotte.
"I guarantee you there are five to seven other guys who will be tough if they last late into the race," the two-time Olympian said at a news conference Friday.
"I just hope I'm one of those last five to seven guys," said Eyestone, 33, of Layton, who won the national marathon in 1993. Last year's winner, fellow Utah runner Paul Pilkington, had to withdraw from Saturday's race because of an injury.
Eyestone comes in seeded first by virtue of a 2:11:51 finish in the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 30.
Bob Wood, chairman of the USA Track & Field's Men's Long Distance Running Committee, says the Charlotte race will feature one of the best fields of American distance runners outside recent U.S. Olympic men's marathon trials.
Saturday's race is a prelude to next year's trials, which will be held on the same course on Feb. 17, 1996.
The race features an elite field of runners who have completed a marathon in 2:25 or under between Jan. 1, 1993 and Dec. 31, 1994.
Park City's Schlopy wins NorAm GS
STRATTON MOUNTAIN, Vt. - Olympian Erik Schlopy of Park City skiing confidently at the end of a week of strong success, led after the first run Friday and went on to win a North American Championship Series giant slalom at Stratton Mountain resort.
Schlopy, who grew up in Stowe, Vt., before moving west, was timed in 1 minute, 52.16 seconds. In second was Patrik Jaerbyn of Sweden, who trains with the U.S. Ski Team because there's no downhill and super-G program in his homeland. Jaerbyn, who won two super-Gs Thursday at Sugarloaf in Maine with Schlopy second and third, finished Friday's race in 1:52.38.
Locally
Predators return - and with new faces
The Utah Predators (0-4) return to action Saturday against the Orange County Diggers (2-1). The National Volleyball Association match is slated for 7 p.m. at Hunter High School.
The Predators will be featuring some new faces - Tammy Liley and BYU setter Char Johnson, who recently finished her heralded college career.
Considered by many to be the top volleyball player in the nation, Liley is the team captain of the U.S. national team and former Digger player, coming to Predators as part of an earlier trade.
Utah is led by national teamers Natalie Williams and Kristin Klein, who rank among the league's best in kills and aces, respectively.
Prior to the game, the Junior Predators Club will conduct at mini-clinic at 4 p.m. Membership ($20) is open to all interested boys or girls ages 18 and under. Enrollees receive future discounts, a T-shirt, game ticket, refreshments and the opportunity to meet some of the nation's top volleyball players.
EchoHawk to receive NCAA award
Larry EchoHawk, former Brigham Young University football player and Idaho attorney general, will receive the National Collegiate Athletic Association's prestigious Silver Anniversary Award at the organization's annual Honors Banquet Sunday night in San Diego.
EchoHawk will join Lesley Bush, an Indiana University diver; Bob Lanier, a St. Bonaventure University basketball player; Kwaku Ohene-Frempong, a Yale star in soccer and track and field; Mike Phipps, a Purdue football player; and Mike Reid, a Penn State three-sport star, in receiving the award.
To be eligible for the honor, prominent athletes must have completed their collegiate eligibility 25 years ago and must have distinguished themselves in their careers and personal lives.
EchoHawk played in every BYU football game from 1967-69 and was a two-year starter at defensive back from 1968-69.
U. basketball team to host Montana
The University of Utah women's basketball team ends its preseason by hosting Montana 3 p.m. Saturday. The 7-4 Lady Utes have beaten Montana just once in nine tries, and the Lady Griz come to town with a 10-3 record.
Montana has won its last four games since losing 66-61 to top-ranked Tennessee. Utah is coming off Wednesday's 80-65 win over traditional powerhouse Texas.
Montana defeated Utah 71-39 last year in Missoula.
Southern Idaho nips SLCC
ST. GEORGE - Seth Miller's desperation 3-point buzzer shot from just within the half-court mark lifted Snow College to a 104-103 upset win over Dixie College in Scenic West Athletic Conference action Friday night.
The shot capped a furious Badger nine-point rally in the final 1:45. Miller and Barry MacArthur led the Badgers with 25 points apiece.
In other SWAC action, despite a 30-point outing by Salt Lake Community College's Marcel Johnson, the Bruins lost a tight 93-89 game to the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
Bret Barton added 16 points for the Bruins, who will face Treasure Valley Community College tonight. CSI will host Utah Valley State College, who beat TVCC 95-66.
Texas drubs Y. women's hoop team
PROVO - Texas won the battle of the boards and beat BYU's women's basketball team 74-60 Friday night in Provo.
The more physical Lady Longhorns outmuscled and outrebounded the Cougars 56-30.
The two teams shot an identical 39.7 percent from the field, but Texas took 15 more shots from the field and that made the difference in the game.
The Cougars, who finish the preseason 4-8, begin WAC play Thursday against Fresno State in Provo.