April 25, 1998
PULLMAN, Wash. - As expected, defense ruled in Washington State University's annual spring Crimson and Gray football game Saturday at Martin Stadium. And as expected, freshman sensation Lamont Thompson also ruled in the Crimson's 14-7 win.
Thompson, who had six interceptions in the final three games of the 1997 season, picked off two passes to thwart Gray drives. He nearly had a third, but the officials waved off the theft because he was lying on the ground with the lower portion of his body out of bounds as the ball fell into his hands.
"I think Lamont Thompson is a player," laughed head coach Mike Price when asked what he had learned during four weeks of spring drills.
Tom Wagner and Dee Moronkola also had interceptions for the Crimson team as they limited quarterback Paul Mencke to 158 yards and just one score, a late-game 42-yard scoring pass to Nian Taylor. Mencke, who drew raves from head coach Mike Price all spring, ended the game with 13 completions in 23 attempts, along with the four interceptions. Taylor was his favorite receiver, hauling in seven passes for 132 yards.
"Paul Mencke didn't perform nearly as well and he is capable of performing, but you are not going to break his spirit with a poor day at the office today," Price said. "He was off, I thought, from the beginning."
"On the other hand," Price continued, "I was pleased with Bryan Paul's performance. That is the best he has played all spring. That was encouraging. I feel very good about the quarterback position," the Cougar coach offered following the loss of junior Ryan Leaf. Leaf was the second player taken in the National Football League draft last week after breaking a host of WSU and Pacific-10 Conference passing marks.
The Crimson used the steady play of quarterback Bryan Paul and a rock solid defense to capture the win. Both Crimson scores were set up by the defense, the first off an interception, the second a 30-yard run by defensive tackle Gary Holmes after the senior-to-be scooped up a Vince Demakas fumble knocked loose by Serign Marong.
Linebacker Tom Wagner set up the game's first score when he tipped and controlled a Mencke pass at the Gray 28 and returned the interception 11 yards to the 17. Joe Gecas covered the final eight yards to put the Crimson ahead 7-0. The Pullman High graduate finished the late afternoon scrimmage with 36 yards rushing, while teammate DeJuan Gilmore led all the ball carriers, picking up 50 yards with his 11 carries.
"There is no doubt the defense dominated," Price commented. "I think they did it with team speed. They ran around and hit like they are capable of doing."
Paul, the junior college transfer known for his scrambling ability as much as his passing, ended the game hitting 11 of his 21 passes for 100 yards. Jason White, a converted defensive back, pulled in three passes from Paul for 46 yards.
Paul was sacked four times on an afternoon when all the defense had to do was tap the quarterback to stop the play, but he also had runs of seven and eight yards before meeting defensive resistance. Taeao Salausa sacked Paul twice, while Raonall Smith and Jonathan Nance also sacked the Crimson signal caller.
"I have been real active this spring in the evaluation process," Price said after the game. "We have made some moves to help our football team, like moving Jason White to wide receiver, Billy Newman to strong safety (from running back) and Austin Matson to defensive end (from linebacker). Those moves will help us in the long haul and I am pleased with their progress."
Price said while a lot of questions were answered during four weeks of spring workouts, there are still a lot of questions to be answered.
"We don't know who is going to be our starting offensive line, nor defensive line, and particularly who is going to start at linebacker," said Price. "I'd like to start all six of them (linebackers). We didn't really solve anything, but we'll probably play all six and we'll probably play eight offensive linemen."
Smith, playing linebacker for the Gray team, led all players with five tackles, including his sack and two tackles-for-losses. Teammate Grady Emmerson also had five tackles and recovered the only fumble in the game. While 12 Crimson players registered defensive statistics, Thompson and Moronkola, with three each, were the only players who had more than two tackles.
WSU will open fall camp August 6 and begin practice August 12 in defense of its Pacific-10 Conference title. The Cougars open the season at home Sept. 5 against Big Ten foe Illinois.
Crimson 0 0 7 7 - 14
Gray 0 0 0 7 - 7
Scoring: Crimson - Gecas 8 run (Lindell kick);
Crimson - Holmes 30 fumble recovery (Lambert kick);
Gray - Taylor 42 pass from Mencke (Lindell kick).
Crimson Rushing: Gilmore 11/50, Paul 9/-12,
Gecas 8/36, Tinsley 5/-4.
Gray Rushing: Arzu 1/2, DeMakas 2/3, Thielbahr
10/21, Taylor 1/-14.
Crimson Passing: Paul 11/21/0/100.
Gray Passing: Mencke 13/23/4/158.
Crimson Receiving: Gilmore 1/14, Jefferson 2/26,
Gecas 1/-3, Shaw 1/7, Woody 2/15, White 3/46,
Tinsley 1/-5.
Gray Receiving: Arzu 1/6, DeMakas 2/3, Thielbahr
1/1, Taylor 7/132, Talik 1/4, Zubedi 2/13.
Crimson Interceptions: Wagner 1/11, Moronkola
1/0, Thompson 2/7.
Gray Interceptions: None.
Crimson Tackles: Gibbons 1/0/1, Moronkola 3/2/1,
Thompson 3/3/0, Riley 2/2/0, Brown 1/1/0, Wagner
2/1/1, Price 3/2/1, Marong 2/1/1, Tuupo 2/1/1,
Agnew 2/2/0, Meier 2/0/2.
Gray Tackles: Brown 4/1/3, Hunsaker 1/0/1, Smith
5/1/4, Helton 1/0/1, Philley 4/2/2, Emmerson 5/3/2,
Matthews 1/1/0, Matson 2/0/2, Cook 1/1/0, Salausa
2/0/2, Blash 4/3/1, Nance 2/0/2, Newman 3/2/1,
Zubedi 1/1/0.
Crimson Sacks: None
Gray Sacks: Smith 1/-7, Salausa 2/-7, Nance 1/-7.
