The student voice of Midwestern State University
The Wichitan page 4 Sizzling cinema
Movie theatres were packed with a mixture of blockbusters and flops over the summer.
page 6 Promising kick-off Mustangs rise to No. 2 after defeating Incarnate Word and St. Mary’s in opening weekend.
WEDNESDAY september 3, 2008
Area country fans got earful of outlaw music during the summer months
Photo by Brittany Norman Sophomore Brooke Taylor sits in the dining room of the Ranch House, a home given to the Autism Support Program by MSU.
Brittany Norman Editor in Chief
Autism Support Program makes history at MSU
Opportunities to enjoy gritty Red Dirt music were easy to come by this summer in the Wichita Falls area. Musicians from all over Texas and Oklahoma paid visits to clubs and outdoor venues to entertain north Texas outlaw country fans. The Iron Horse Pub was the place to be on most Thursday nights. An earful of red dirt sound was something club-goers were looking for. The ever-popular Stoney LaRue took the stage on a stormy night in June, returning to the Falls to play for a packed house. The downtown venue was humming with excitement when LaRue and fiddler Jeremy Watkins came in out of the wind and rain. The prospect of an acoustic set by the duo was enough to spark electricity among the gathered red dirt fans. LaRue’s unassuming, laid-back demeanor was apparent immediately. He was in no hurry to get the music started, and took the time to light a cigarette and take a few drags before playing his first chords of the night. The Texas-born, Oklahoma-raised musician brought what the audience was looking for. The songs lost little except
Chris Collins Managing Editor Sophomore Brooke Taylor is a lot like most of the students at MSU. She enjoys reading, gardening, singing and playing the guitar. The soft-spoken 21-year-old also loves animals and listening to music. But Taylor isn’t your typical MSU undergrad: during her junior year in high school she was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a developmental disability that affects social interaction and communication skills. The disorder makes performing some normal daily tasks, like cooking, cleaning and doing chores, confusing and even frustrating. “I don’t look at the world the same way that a lot of other people do,” Taylor said.
see “MUSIC” on pg. 4
Taylor and two other ASD students have an opportunity this semester that few at MSU have ever had. The Autism Support Program, headed by Dr. Millie Gore’s Special Education department, is the first of its kind. The program, which began as a proposal to MSU administration in February, has come to fruition more quickly than anyone thought possible. “If we were part of one of the big systems it wouldn’t have happened like this,” said Dr. Millie Gore, professor of counseling and special education. “We’d be talking multiple years before it ever got funded.” The Autism Support Program will benefit ASD students by giving them full institutional support, supervised study hall, housing and the ability to start an organization. Similar programs
see “ASD” on pg. 3
Photos and illustration by Brittany Norman The Eli Young Band plays their hard-toclassify brand of Southern Rock and country music for thousands of people who attended Shrinefest on Aug. 23. This event was only one of many that quenched the musical thirst of Red Dirt fans this summer.
Police Cruising
Photo by Patrick Johnston
MSU Chief of Police Michael Hagy tries out the new T3 Motion scooter. The university is looking into purchasing one of the all-electric, zero-emissions vehicles to aid in campus patrol. The T3 Motion takes three to four hours to charge and travels up to 25 mph. Each vehicle costs about $9,000 and can go 25 miles on one charge.
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The Wichitan
Staff Editorial
Parking woes...again Another year, another parking complaint. It may seem as though addressing the issue of parking (or the lack thereof) on campus is simply beating a dead horse at this point. After all, it’s been a problem as long as anyone can remember, and with enrollment on the up-and-up, it doesn’t seem like a solution is anywhere in the foreseeable future. This year, however, the parking problems have a unique twist thrown in. While there are more students than last year, there are also fewer spots. The parking lot surrounding the Mercantile building was demolished over the summer along with the structure to make room for new housing. Which, ironically, will allow for the university to accommodate more students who can complain about the lack of parking. Driving around campus looking for a spot, there’s an abundance of commuter tags in the resident lots, resident tags in the commuter lots, people illegally parallel parked, cars without handicap tags in the handicapped parking areas, and students parked in faculty reserved spaces. Oh, the parking tickets abound. The question again arises, what’s the alternative to parking illegally? Commuters can always park off-campus and walk half a mile to get to their class. Resident students can conserve gas by grabbing a close spot on the weekend and refusing to drive anywhere all week long for fear of losing such prime real estate. And there’s always the stalk and pounce method of parking, wherein one circles the parking lot like a vulture for an hour and a half, waiting for some poor schmuck to vacate his space. Unfortunately, since everyone seems to know about this game, there’s the mad dash to see who can squeeze into the spot first in a race between dueling drivers, which could conceivably result in more than a few fender benders before the semester is out. It seems as though there are a few buildings on campus that would be better off as parking lots. Marchman Hall is little more than a storage building; surely bulldozing it wouldn’t be too much of a loss. A few lucky residents could fight over the fifty-or-so spots that would make room for. Of course, it’ll be better next semester, when people drop out. Until then, the only truly effective solution seems to be for the students to take matters into their own hands and take on a second job to pay for all the tickets.
The Wichitan
Study abroad provides unique experience for students seeking a new adventure the tube station and the many different locations you visit. During just the first weekend, I had already walked around so much and ate enough nasty food to realize why I only saw skinny people in the city. Although I enjoyed the convenience of the tube as opposed to driving and parking a car, I could live without being crammed next to sweaty strangers on the crowded trains who apparently don’t know what deodorant is. So one would probably already know, but you will need to save a lot of money to live in London for a month. Once you think you have saved enough, double that amount because you will be spending twice as much of your American money in London as you do here at home. My secret to success was finding a friend who was as picky of an eater as I am and split your meals! It won’t taste that good anyway, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t get very much to eat. I had to get my annoyances out in the open, but trust me when I say that all of those frustrations are completely worth the experience. London is such a fantastic place to live in, and for the girls reading this, get ready to have a lot of attention coming your way. American girls are treated like superstars and get noticed quite often by the male species, so if you are single and ready to mingle, London is the place to go! You might even get lucky like
me and bring a boyfriend back with you. One of the best things about the study abroad program in London is the opportunity for us to travel to other countries on our own or with whomever we want on our weekend breaks. I personally visited Paris and Venice with my friends, but the possibilities are abundant as some students also went to Ireland, Rome, Spain, and even Greece. Our time spent traveling around London gave us the knowledge we needed to know how to navigate our way around other countries, even when we didn’t speak their language. It’s not often that a person can say they visited three or four different countries within one month. I would highly encourage every college student to take a trip for study abroad. Most people want to visit other countries, but there is nothing that compares with the experience you can have from study abroad. You can see things first hand that you have only read about in your history book, and as cheesy as it sounds, the experience makes learning a desirable activity. I made some amazing friends on this trip that are not only from MSU, but from other schools as well. Out of all those people, I have not talked to one who doesn’t miss London already.
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Entertainment Editor Courtney Foreman
Photographers Loren Eggenschwiler
Adviser Randy Pruitt
Sports Editor Bobby Morris
Advertising Manager Ayesha Dorsey
Karrie Walker For The Wichitan
The International Studies program here at Midwestern State University gives students the once in a lifetime opportunity to explore historical, cultural, and social points of interest in Mexico, Spain, England and France, all while gaining college credit hours. Students have the choice of studying for an entire semester abroad or just a month during the summer, such as I did this past summer in London. At first I did not know what to expect. I have hardly been out of Texas, much less out of the country. I figured I would be taking a cool class and in the meantime get to see historic places like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Little did I know how truly amazing this experience would be and how much my eyes would be opened up to a completely new and different world. Experiencing the big city lifestyle and seeing high fashion clothing all around me made me feel like a celebrity. The weekends gave us plenty of free time to travel to other nearby cities and countries on our own and I must say by the end of this trip, I felt like an expert traveler. However, our journey throughout London was not always roses and butterflies. The differences between the two countries are sometimes very subtle, but really make an American like me
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truly appreciate our country. If you are interested in a study abroad program in England, get ready to walk your feet off, eat less than tasty food, stand a little too close to smelly locals on the Underground tubes, and most importantly, have the time of your life. I first want to get off my chest my complete disdain for the food in England. If you are a meat lover, get ready to become a vegetarian temporarily. One safe food item would have to be pizza, which I literally ate at least 5 times a week. I survived my trip by living off of pizza and PB&J sandwiches. I work at Texas Roadhouse where all and I mean ALL the food is good, so it was a major culture shock when I could not find a decent hamburger or steak anywhere. I hate to admit it, but I did in fact eat at McDonald’s on multiple occasions. Give me a break; it was my only safe haven with real American food! You would have done the same, believe me. The next aspect of life that would irritate a typical American is the amount of walking that takes place everyday. Granted, with the way they drive in London, I would never want to own a car there, but I had no idea how much walking this trip would entail. The London Underground tubes make traveling very fast and efficient to different places in the city, but the catch is all the walking you must do to and from
Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief Brittany Norman
Managing Editor Chris Collins Op-Ed Editor Position Open
Photo Editor Patrick Johnston
News
“ASD”............................................................................................................continued from pg. 1 at other schools are rare, Gore said. “There’s almost nothing anywhere like this,” Gore said. Other programs can cost upward of $30,000 and require ASD students to live in dorms with everyone else. The individual needs of special students aren’t met in these programs. “We’re targeting folks who cannot live by themselves,” Gore said. The program, comprised of three ASD students and three peer mentors, will help teach independence in a supportive environment. MSU gave the program about $20,000 to get started, but won’t Photo by Brittany Norman support it for longer than a year. Brooke Taylor and Jessica Dunn sit in the dining room of the Gore is looking into private do- Ranch House on Hampstead. nors and federal grants that will Autism is still an unclear sub- said. Now the university is givbe able to fund the project after ject, even for those suffering ing even more support. its inception this semester. with the disorder. “We gave them the opportu “Private corporations are there “So many cases are going un- nity to get out the gate,” Farrell to make money,” Gore said. diagnosed. Students are going said. “We thought it was the right “They aren’t part of a university. to college but aren’t advocat- thing to do.” We aren’t trying to make a profit. ing that they have the disorder,” One person out of every 126 We’re just here to serve.” Dunn said. born is diagnosed with one of the “I love being available and The Disability Services De- five forms of ASD. Asperger’s being here for them,” said Jes- partment at MSU currently has syndrome is the highest-funcsica Dunn, a graduate student of only one registered autistic stu- tioning form of autism, characspecial education. Dunn was one dent. There are three in Gore’s terized mostly by social difficulof the five authors of the original program alone. ties. proposal for the program in Feb- “Some students think it’s a All three students in Gore’s ruary. bit of a stigma to register,” said program suffer from Asperger’s. “We’re still figuring out what Katie Comello, secretary for dis- “There’re seeking universitythe program’s all about and what ability services, “but it’s a big level stuff, they just need a little it’s going to do,” Dunn said. “It’s help.” extra support,” Dunn said. “They a big project and we didn’t ex- Disabled students who regis- have amazing capabilities. Their pect university support, either. ter with the department are able capacity for things surpasses our Not that fast.” to test in separate rooms and are thinking in a lot of ways,” she Alefia Paris-Toulon, coordina- sometimes entitled to extra time said. tor of the special education de- on assignments. Special accom- Some students with ASD, partment at Hirschi High School modations are made on individ- even Asperger’s, may not be able was another author of proposal ual basis and take many factors to continue education after high made in February. Her concern into account, Comello said. school. “It really depends on the for autistic students at Hirschi “We have students with autism individual. Even among people was one of the key proponents of on campus today that just don’t with classic autism there’s such a the program. get the services they need,” Gore huge range of ability and drive,” “Everybody has an opportu- said. Dunn said. nity to continue education if they “MSU has always been about One of Taylor’s problems is meet the standards,” Paris-Tou- inclusion,” said Dr. Howard Far- seeing the world through others’ lon said. Autism is being noticed rell, vice president of student perspectives, she said. Living because more people are being affairs and university advance- with other ASD students should diagnosed with it, she said. ment. When we found a way to help her with this. “It’s a new disability to help these students we did.” “I’m already starting to see schools, but it’s becoming more The Disabilities Services of- some of the ways this could be pronounced,” Paris-Toulon said. fice at MSU was created a few positive,” Taylor said. “If one “The reponse to the proposal years ago especially to help stu- of us understands a problem, was timely and quick. It was dents with special needs, Farrell we can share that with the other overwhelming.”
Need a costume for Halloween? Fain fine arts Costume Sale Saturday 6 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
all items $1 - $5
people in the house.” All six of the residents in the Ranch House – the home designated by MSU for the program – help maintain the home. Completing household tasks helps the students prepare for what life will be like when they are outside of the university, Dunn said. “We’re here to suggest,” Dunn said. “We’re here to encourage, but we don’t tell them what they can and can’t do. We’re just here to promote success.” Two other special education graduate students live at the Ranch House with Dunn, who is the lead peer mentor At least one of them will be at the house at all times to help students with homework and chores. “But we’re not babysitting,” Dunn said. Living and interacting with other autistic students is a new experience to Taylor, she said. “I’ve never really been around other people who are classified as ASD or anything. It’s funny watching how we interact.” Taylor, a transfer student from a Dallas community college, came to MSU with about 60 credit hours. Keeping up with all the schoolwork by herself became overwhelming. “It was time for me to start going to a four-year university,” Taylor said. “They have what I need here.” Taylor said she would probably be going to school somewhere else if it weren’t for the Autism Support Program. A good middle ground has been struck by the program, though there is room for improvement, Dunn said. She would like to see more staff training in the needs of ASD students in the future. “It’s satisfactory so far,” she said. “It looks like it’s been left to us.” There is a long waiting list of students to participate in the program, Gore said. She’ll admit them on a first-come, first-serve basis. The only prerequisite for the program is being accepted to MSU.
The Wichitan Sep. 3, 2008
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Campus briefs •
Sep. 4
Athletics lun-
cheon; Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU; Thursday 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.; cost $6
• Part-time job and volunteer fair; Career Management Center; Thursday 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.
• Foreign Film Series: City of Lost Children; Kemp Center for the Arts; Thursday 7 p.m.
• Student Success Series: Ultimate Road Trip; CSC Shawnee; Thursday 7 p.m.
•
Sep. 5 WFMA Reception:
John Kingerlee recent work; Wichita Falls Museum of Art at MSU; Friday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
•
Sep. 6
Theatre Depart-
ment Costume Sale; Fain Fine Arts Center; Saturday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; $1 - $5
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The Wichitan Sep. 3, 2008
Entertainment
Summer box office hits and misses Roger Moore MCT
“Mamma Mia”
“Iron Man”
What a glorious summer of cinema it was, with “The Dark Knight” reminding us why we miss Heath Ledger, ABBA fans coming out of the closet and out of the woodwork for “Mamma Mia!,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “WALLE” keeping the kiddies entertained and an August so littered with funny, raunchy movies the nation’s frat houses threatened to empty out altogether. Sure, most were instantly forgettable comic-book adaptations, ditzy musicals or pot-fueled farces. But they’re worth remembering, even if Oscar voters don’t. Let’s tear open the envelopes and hand out some awards, even if we don’t have naked-guy statuettes, Price Waterhouse or Whoopie Goldberg. Best actor: Robert Downey Jr., in iron (“Iron Man”) and in blackface (“Tropic Thunder”). “I know who I am! I’m a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude!” Dude, you said it. Best actress: Maria Bello, “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.” What, you think it’s easy impersonating Oscar winner Rachel Weisz in a really bad movie? Best supporting actor: Danny McBride, “Pineapple Express,” “Tropic Thunder” the funniest Southern accent in the cinema. Best supporting actress: Gwyneth Paltrow, “Iron Man.” She made us care,
and made the flirtation work. Best director: Jon Favreau, for making “Iron Man” witty, heartfelt and fun. Best picture: “WALL-E.” Great animation, a simple story, a cautionary message. Best on-base percentage: Ben Kingsley, in five movies this summer. Best Ben Kingsley accent: A dopesmoking “New Yawk” shrink, in “The Wackness.” His “Transsiberian” Russian isn’t bad, either. Worst Ben Kingsley accent: Southern. Somewhat. Sometimes. In War, Inc. Best myth debunked: “All Irishmen can sing.” Maybe they can, Pierce Brosnan. But not ABBA. Not sober, anyway. Best upgrade: Maggie Gyllenhaal, replacing Katie Holmes in “The Dark Knight.” Best sneer: Alan Rickman, balefully considering Kentucky Fried Chicken, in “Bottle Shock.” Best reunion: Karen Allen and Harrison Ford, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Best surprise: James Franco finding his blitzed bliss in “Pineapple Express.” Second best surprise: Richard Jenkins, going toe-to-profane-toe with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly in “Step Brothers.”
Third Best surprise: Julie “Take a Chance on Me” Walters rocking the house in “Mamma Mia!” Best remake: “Brideshead Revisited.” Best catch-phrases: “I’m sorry. This is the fun-vee. The hum-drum-vee is back there.” (“Iron Man”) “I’m not a monster. . . I’m just ahead of the curve.” (The Joker in “The Dark Knight”). Career in trouble: Mike Myers. “The Love Guru” would have been the hit of the summer ... in 1994. Best bad self-parody: Writer-director David Mamet at his David Mametiest with “Red Belt.” Best sequel: “The Dark Knight.” “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” wasn’t bad, either. Most pointless sequel: “The X-Files: I Want to Believe.” Best movies you missed: “Mongo”; “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson”; “Son of Rambow.” Seriously, how many times do you need to see “The Dark Knight”? Worst bad movies you flocked to: “Get Smart.” And “Hancock.” Really, people. Worst excuse for a 3D movie: “Fly Me to the Moon” (animated). Worst moment: The Yeti “field goal” in “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.” And they were digital yeti, to boot. Director Rob Cohen, have you no shame?
“Wall-E”
“The Dark Knight”
MUSIC........................................................................................................................................................................................continued from pg. 1 without the backing of LaRue’s band The Arsenals. The pareddown sound emphasized the singer/songwriter’s spot-on vocals and gave a new dimension to the tracks from 2005’s The Red Dirt Album and the 2007 Live at Billy Bob’s record that have doubtlessly been in heavy rotation in fans’ CD players. The crowd didn’t hesitate in singing along at the top of their lungs. While this isn’t the kind of country that fans of Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift are accustomed to, it certainly doesn’t lack the infectious melodies. In fact, it’s difficult to place just who LaRue’s sound resembles best. Even with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a fiddle, the Southern Rock influences are visible through the homegrown honky tonk sound. That isn’t surprising for an artist who claims influences range from Ray Charles to Willie Nelson. LaRue believes in his music. Anyone who was paying any attention could tell. He might have paused between songs to take a drink of beer or even hammer back a shot or two, but the audience caught on to his enthusiasm. By the time he played his single Oklahoma Breakdown, which topped Texas Country charts in 2006, the area in front of the stage was crowded with fans trying to get just a little closer to the passionate artist. While there were no loud electric guitars, drummers, or bassists in the house, those who weathered the summer windstorm and crowded into the venue certainly got an earful of good red dirt music. A few weeks later, another popular name on the Red Dirt circuit, Mike McClure, also played at the pub. Seymour-based band Under the Influence kicked off the evening with their loud, raucous southern music. They played several original pieces as well as songs penned by other artists. The lead guitarist was especially impressive. His hands flew up and down the neck of the guitar, dancing between the frets as he played the fast-paced music. Under the Influence got in about an hour on the Iron Horse stage before Mike McClure took over. The listening room quickly became more crowded as the Oklahoman and his band set up.
Photo by Brittany Norman A storm sent Wolfedance concertgoers under the grandstand at the Santa Rosa Rodeo Arena for shelter from the wind, rain and lightning before headliner Jack Ingram could make it onstage.
Photo by Brittany Norman Stoney LaRue plays an acoustic set at the Iron Horse Pub in June. LaRue and his band came back to Wichita Falls to headline Shrinefest on Aug. 23.
It was quickly obvious why the audience anticipated McClure’s music. Not only was it loud enough to please rock fans and southern enough for the country connoisseurs, but the lyrics had enough depth to take a careful listener out of the music itself and into the words for a moment. If the crowd got a little rowdy, they did so right alongside McClure. The front man moved around the stage more like a punk-rocker than a Red Dirt musician, and he had the clothes to match: skater shoes and shorts instead of the normal outlaw country uniform of blue jeans and boots. McClure entertained with his antics as well as his songs, often making silly faces while playing, messing with the drum kit while the drummer tried to play, even telling an audience member he’d play a requested song if the man took his shirt off and bought four Jager bombs for the band. Both conditions of the bargain were
fulfilled. Lighting up and smoking a cigarette during a guitar solo was another demonstration of quirk that the crowd seemed to enjoy. And then there were the lessthan endearing qualities, like insulting the audience—presumably in jest. He also teased the crowd with the opening riffs to songs that he never finished playing. There were more than a few jam sessions throughout the show that, had McClure and his band been less talented, might have seemed drawn-out and selfindulgent. Instead, they pulled it off and drew the audience in. The surprises came in the form of unexpected songs, as well. An extended version of ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ had the spectators participating, standing up and singing along. Local boy Johnny Cooper also made an appearance at the Iron Horse, managing to pack fans in the listening room while he played the crowd favorites.
Up-and-comer Brazos Stone from Lubbock opened for the local songwriter, and the crowd seemed to like the high-energy rock-country that the group was offering. Individual artists weren’t the only opportunity to get a fix of outlaw music. Several festivals took place in the area, including Wolfedance in Vernon. Wolfedance 2008 started out featuring the sweltering summer heat and hotter music. It ended early with the sound of thunderclaps and lightning pyrotechnics, as well as the prospect of a makeup date later in the summer. Sweating it out at the Santa Rosa Rodeo Grounds in Vernon, Texas, area country fans gathered to hear up-and-comers like Twister Cain and Brazos Stone. The two early acts kicked up the excitement with electric guitars and plenty of upbeat songs as the crowd began to grow, gathering in the grandstands and down on the dirt of the arena. Things calmed down a bit when country music legend Eddie Raven took to the stage with his mellow vocals and old-style sound. While a big chunk of the audience was a bit young to know his music aside from recent covers of his songs by the likes of Kenny Chesney, Raven still had plenty to say, both through the songs he played and his conversational commentary in breaks between the music. As the sun started going down
and the temperature dropped, it became evident that the sky was going to make good on its threat of storms. Dark clouds came closer and lightning struck in the distance as Wichita Falls artist Johnny Cooper and his band set up their equipment. The singer/songwriter was barely into his set when the approaching lightning necessitated a “fifteen minute break.” Cooper informed his fans that they’d be back once the weather had passed, and the crowd retreated under the grandstands to wait out the storm. The wind picked up, rain dripped through the cracks in the stands onto the mass of Red Dirt fans and lightning lit up the sky all around, but the party still went on. Concessions and merchandise vendors cashed in on the intermission. The majority of the audience stuck around, choosing to stay out in the elements rather than miss the rest of Cooper’s set and the performance of headlining act Jack Ingram. The fifteen minute break extended into almost an hour. It became evident that the show was unlikely to go on, after all. As the concert-goers began to file into the muddy parking lot to make the drive home, Jack Ingram had encouraging words for the fans who had braved the electrical storm in hopes that the headlining act would take the stage.
He clarified that the show was not canceled, only postponed. “We’ve never canceled a show,” Ingram said. And Wolfedance was supposed to be no exception. “I’ll talk to my booking agent on the way home. We’ll reschedule as soon as possible. It’ll be before the end of summer. You can count on it.” While summer has ended and Ingram’s promise of a reschedule has yet to become a reality, another festival went off Aug. 23 without nature’s interference. Shrinefest brought the big names of Red Dirt together with a few thousand of the biggest fans of the music for the annual event. The afternoon kicked off with Brazos Stone, a band that never seems to disappoint the crowds. The audience continued to grow as other early acts the Bart Crow Band, Johnny Cooper and Brandon Rhyder entertained despite the temperatures reaching upwards of 100 degrees. The temperature was cooling down, but the show was just starting to heat up when the Eli Young Band struck their first chords for the Shrinefest fans. The high-energy Southern Rock and country hybrid music had the rowdy crowd dancing and singing along. Had that group been the headlining act, it didn’t seem as though anyone would be disappointed. Flatbed trailers were still bringing people from their cars, parked sometimes a half-mile away from the venue due to the size of the audience, as the main attraction Stoney LaRue stepped up under the lights. A broken left hand didn’t stop LaRue from playing his signature guitar riffs as his band launched into all of the fan favorites, such as One Chord Song, Oklahoma Breakdown, Idabell Blues and Down In Flames. And while everyone was there for the music, each ticket sold also benefited a cause. “I’m excited that the Shriners are putting this on, most of all because so much of what they do is helping kids,” LaRue said in an interview before his portion of the show got underway. “It’s also nice to get everyone together for some live music.” Here’s hoping the end of summer doesn’t mean the end of the music.
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Sports
The Wichitan Sep. 3, 2008
‘Strange things’ propel No. 2 Mustangs to victory, 4-1 Bobby Morris Sports Editor
As MSU head coach Doug Elder and the men’s soccer team examined their 2008 schedule, two dates had to stand out overshadowing all the others. On August 31 and October 5 the Mustangs will go against the Incarnate Word Cardinals and attempt to avenge a pair of losses that tainted a near-perfect record last season. Last season the Mustangs went 18-3-2 while advancing all the way to the NCAA Division II Final Four. Of those three losses, two came at the hands of Incarnate Word. And last Sunday the No. 2-ranked Mustangs took advantage of their first chance at avenging those losses against the No. 21-ranked Cardinals. The two highly touted squads competed back-and-forth in a highly competitive first half that left the game in a stifling 1-1 tie. Then, craziness ensued result-
ing in both of Incarnate Word’s healthy goalkeepers being ejected for taking down a Midwestern State player in the box. “We got a few breaks today and they had some bad luck,” Elder said. “You just see some strange things in soccer.” After Incarnate Word’s starting goalkeeper Ryan Eschenburg received a red card at the 47:32 mark, third-string goalkeeper Andy Caesar needed just 2:03 to receive two yellow cards and get ejected as well. This coupled with the absence of normal starting goalkeeper Gil Ben Nachum due to an injury he suffered the previous Friday left the Cardinals two men down and without a goalkeeper for the remainder of the match. It took the Mustangs two minutes to stretch the 1-1 tie into a 4-1 advantage after the ejections due to goals by seniors Ahmad Ihmeidan and Rob Humphrey and redshirt freshman Craig Sutherland.
The match was eventually halted ten minutes early with the same score when both head coaches agreed to end the match. “It was satisfying for the guys,” Elder said. “We had a good run of play last year and got unlucky against them.” This marked the second victory to open the season for the Mustangs after traveling to San Antonio and defeating St. Mary’s 3-0 last Friday. Ihmeidan and Sutherland each contributed another goal in the opening game capitalizing on the team’s nine shots on goal compared to the just one shot on goal for the Rattlers. Midwestern State faces a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opponents next weekend in Canyon, Texas. They open against Colorado Mines on Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. before battling Fort Lewis (Colo.) Sunday at 11 a.m.
Friday September 5 Men’s Soccer Colorado Mines @ Canyon
Women’s Soccer
Photo courtesy of MSU Sports Information Senior Ahmad Ihmeidan (10) leads the team in their attempt to duplicate last season’s success. He scored a goal in both of their opening games to lead the way for the Mustangs.
Lady Mustangs gallop through opening tournament Josh Mujica Staff Reporter
The MSU volleyball team made program history last season as they posted its best winning percentage ever with a 17-6 record. However, the Lady Mustangs fell in the Division II Southwest Regional Tournament, so the taste of unfinished business remains fresh in their mouths. “They know how close they are to winning a national championship,” MSU coach Venera Flores-Stafford said. The Lady Mustangs are picked to finish third behind West Texas A&M and Central Oklahoma in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll. This past weekend in the Catawba College Invitational held in Salisbury, N.C., MSU set a tone for the season and sent a message to opponents on their tough schedule that they are still a force to be reckoned with in 2008. They did
so by going 4-0 for the first time in school history while displaying an all-around powerhouse of a team. On Saturday, the Lady Mustangs steamrolled Lenoir Rhyne College, 25-17, 2521, 25-19. Standouts for the game were seniors Jessica Ransom and Allison Schreiber. Both players maintained great work ethic throughout the tournament. Ransom led MSU with 13 kills while only committing one error in 20 attempts. “She could be one of the best hitters in the conference,” Flores-Stafford said. The 5-10 Schreiber, who is the all-time leader in assists for MSU, led a potent offense to a .300 attack percentage while contributing three kills and seven digs against Lenoir Rhyne. Earlier in the day the Lady Mustangs’ machine handled
Fayetteville State, 25-15, 25-10, 25-12. The outside hitters proved to be the difference for MSU. Freshmen Miranda Byrd and Tiana Bond carried the team with
made easy work of the host Catawba College Indians, 25-20, 25-14, 25-21. Schreiber had 35 assists, four kills and nine digs to lead the MSU to a .319 hitting percentage for the game. Ransom finished the game with eight kills for a .700 hitting percentage. “Allison has the team running very well right now,” Flores-Stafford said. Bryd had five kills and posted a .571 hitting percentage while Velasquez controlled the back row Ransom Schreiber with 14 digs and two \ service aces. six kills each as Ransom and Earlier on Friday, the Lady Karolina Damjanovic tallied four Mustangs opened their season each. All four players combined against Tusculum College and to gain a .679 attack percentage dominated, 25-19,25-16, 25-17. while only committing one error Junior middle blocker Alysha in 28 attacks. Senior Shay Ve- Pritt led the way for MSU with lasquez had a service ace while eight kills, five digs and two adding 12 digs in the match. blocks while maintaining a .500 On Friday, the Lady Mustangs hitting percentage. Lady Mus-
tangs all-star Sesley Graves contributed seven kills and a .545 hitting percentage. Freshman Kiara Jordan showed potential to be a rookie sensation as she led the team with nine digs in her collegiate debut. “I felt like we didn’t have a long enough preseason,” FloresStafford said. “It’s a good foundation for the season. Starting 4-0 is a great confidence booster.” The Lady Mustangs’ next challenge will be in the Missouri Southern Invitational in Joplin, Mo. On Sept. 5-6. The first match is slated for Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. against Drury University. Editor’s Note : Both Allison Schreiber and Jessica Ransom were honored as LSC players of the week for their play in this tournament. Schreiber was named setter of the week while Ransom was named the offensive player of the week.
2008 season against the hostCentral Missouri Jennies. Central Missouri’s Angelo Dobbie and Lexie Bristow scored two goals within four minutes of each other late in the first half to propel the Jennies to the 2-0 victory over the Mustangs. The Mustangs offense was stifled for the entire match and only mustered eight total shots including only three shots on
goal. This was the lowest amount of shots taken in a match since September 19, 2007 when they only managed five shots in a 3-0 loss to Central Oklahoma. It also marked the lowest total number of shots on goal in a game since September 24, 2006 when they only put one shot on goal in a 3-0 loss to Incarnate Word. The Mustangs moved on to
second half. “We had some great opportunities to score, but couldn’t finish,” Trimble said. “Then in the second half, we came out flat and they took advantage. You have to play 90 minutes.” The Mustangs will make their home debut with a weekend doubleheader at the MSU Soccer Field against Northeastern Oklahoma this Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. before battling against New Mexico Highlands at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.
Mustangs suffer disappointing start to 2008 season Bobby Morris Sports Editor
Records were broken last Friday in the MSU women’s soccer season opener. However, breaking records isn’t always a positive thing. The Mustangs traveled to Missouri to compete in the Jennies Invitational last weekend. They opened the Invitational and their
battle Truman State to close out the Jennies Invitational. They competed in another defensive match that saw better competing than in their season opener. “I felt we played better than we did Friday and really came out with good energy,” MSU coach Jeff Trimble said. Despite placing seven of their ten shots on goal the Mustangs were unable to score throughout the match as they let a loose ball decide the 1-0 defeat early in the
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NW Oklahoma at 4 p.m. Volleyball @ Missouri Southern Invitational
Saturday September 6 Cross Country
MSU Relays Volleyball @ Missouri Southern Invitational
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Sunday, Sept. 7 Cleveland, OH - FOX - 3:15 cst Cowboys will be battling recievers’ injuries and trying to keep distractions to a minimum in their season debut. The Browns starting quarterback (Derek Anderson) is coming back from a concussion so if DeMarcus Ware and the blitzing Cowboys defense can get any pressure it could be a long night for the Browns offense. Watch to see if the Cowboys defensive unit can look better than they did in the preseason in coverage.
Volleyball Dallas Baptist at 7 p.m.
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