RGV Capsules: Winborn leads Javelinas into Abilene Christian matchup

When people hear the word "Hollywood" the first things that come to mind are movie stars, glitz and glamour. While Texas A&M-Kingsville junior running back Fred "Hollywood" Winborn is none of these, you can put the another more impressive word next to his name: "record-breaker."

Last Saturday night, Winborn set a record that former Javelinas greats like Don Hardeman, Larry Collins, Larry Williams, Heath Sherman and even Johnny Bailey never matched. He rushed for 263 yards on 37 carries breaking a 22-year old record held by three-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner Johnny Bailey.

To break any record set by Johnny Bailey is a great accomplishment, according to long time Javelinas Sports Information Director Fred Nuesch.

"Any time you can break a record held by someone like Johnny Bailey, who is considered one of the greatest rushers in NCAA history, it is a big deal," Nuesch said.

Slow, mellow and chill are three words that Winborn uses when describing Kingsville, and he is perfectly fine with that after growing up in North Hollywood, Calif.

"In Kingsville you don’t do too much," Winborn said. "You just take care of your business and everything else takes care of itself. The town suits me and I’m doing really well."

The nickname "Hollywood" is new for Winborn, but he has embraced it.

"It’s a name that is kind of cool, kind of big time," he said. "I started hearing it once I got here (in Kingsville), and I really like it."

The Javelinas needed every one of Winborn’s 263 yards and three touchdowns last Saturday as they held off a tough Eastern New Mexico team, 38-31. Winborn was the key to the team jumping out to a 28-7 lead in the first half as he rushed for 181 yards and two scores. Then, he iced the game by scoring on a 32-yard run with 5:16 left in the game. He eclipsed Bailey’s record of 254 yards on that play which gave him 255 yards for the night. He added the final nine yards on the Hoggies’ last drive of the game.

Winborn describes himself as an Emmitt Smith-type back who is shifty and smooth.

"I’m not trying to do too much," Winborn said. "I just want to hit the hole and get running downhill."

The Emmitt Smith comparison is apt for Winborn. He does not possess the breakaway speed to blow past opponents, but he does slip and slide past the opposition. He has gained at least 15 yards on 15 of his 121 carries this season and has scored 12 touchdowns.

The Javelinas were able to pick up Winborn almost by accident. Assistant coach John Schroff was looking at defensive players at College of the Canyons junior college in California when he ran across Winborn.

"My offensive coordinator told me that there was a coach from a D2 school around and that I should go talk to him," Winborn said. "After that he called me and everything progressed from there."

One of the most surprising things about Winborn in this day and age of parents holding back their children in school to better prepare them for sports is that he does not turn 20 years old until Nov. 7. As a 17-year old freshman at the College of the Canyons he rushed for 1,524 yards and 21 touchdowns. The next year he led his junior college to the national championship game before losing. He rushed for 1,634 yards and 21 touchdowns.

"That was a heartbreaker," Winborn said of the championship game loss. "I played well and I played hard, but still didn’t get that championship ring I was looking for."

Before you start to think that Winborn is a selfish player, he is not. He has his head in the right spot.

"It would mean everything for me to win the Lone Star Conference championship. That would be one of my biggest achievements and I have been playing football since I was five years old," he said.

After his big game, Winborn leads the Lone Star Conference in rushing with 838 yards this year.

Despite the school record, the season has not been all sunshine and rainbows for the California transplant. He injured himself during the first week of practice and did not start becoming a big part of the offense until the fourth week of the season.

Through the first three games he had only 12 carries for 87 yards. Since that time, he is averaging 125 yards rushing per game and has gone over 100 yards on three occasions. He is on pace to become the first Javelinas player to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing since Larry Williams gained 1,570 yards in 2003.

Winborn and the Javelinas travel to No. 15 Abilene Christian on Saturday for a game that will likely determine the team’s playoff chances.

Another big game for Hollywood could catapult his name into the Harlon Hill Trophy debate, an honor that only one other Javelinas player has won, Johnny Bailey. While most of Bailey’s records will last for a long time, for one game Winborn has matched the legendary running back and has etched his name into the annals of Javelinas history.

Not bad for a teenager.

-- TAMUK

UTPA to hold golf classic

The University of Texas-Pan American men’s and women’s golf programs will play host to the UTPA Golf Classic on Monday at Los Lagos Golf Course in Edinburg.

The UTPA Golf Classic will be kicked off with the College Am at noon Sunday, Nov. 1, with a field consisting of 12 teams. Members of the community pay a fee to play alongside their favorite Broncs or Lady Broncs player. The College Am will serve as a fund-raiser for both the men’s and women’s golf programs.

"This is a fundraiser that helps us show off our golf program to the community and gives the student-athletes a chance to communicate with the public," Director of Men’s and Women’s Golf Ofelia Lopez said.

"A lot of the time our players don’t get the chance to play in front of the community or the community doesn’t get a chance to see them play. This is something that enables that and allows them to have fun with our college players."

The UTPA Golf Classic will be a two day event that will consist of 54 holes - 36 holes on the first day and 18 on the second. Both days will have an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.

Competing in the tournament are Houston Baptist, Chicago State, North Dakota, SMU (men only) and UTPA.

Mother Nature has taken her course this year forcing many of the men’s and women’s tournaments to be cut short. Both the men and women are looking for that one tournament to go out and shine in.

"This will be a preview for conference. The girls have what it takes; they just need not to be afraid. If they go out with that killer instinct that they refuse to lose, the way they did at conference and Minority, the girls will go out and perform to the best of their capabilities," said Lopez.

On the men’s side, coach Santiago de Larrea said his team has been looking forward to this tournament all season.

"The men are excited about hosting a tournament this season. They feel very confident, especially playing on their own course. We should expect some good performances from the men," said de Larrea.

The last time UTPA played host to a tournament was in the fall of 2004, the Bronc Classic.

-- UTPA

Hockey

Hanson, Sundogs beat Bees

HIDALGO — The Arizona Sundogs defeated the Killer Bees 4-2 on Friday night at Dodge Arena.

Matt Hanson had two goals and an assist for Arizona (2-3-1), while Grant Goeckner-Zoeller potted both goals for Rio Grande Valley (1-3-0).

It was a back and forth battle in the first period with Goeckner-Zoeller putting the Bees up 1-0 at the 4:15 mark with helpers from Jesse Bennefield and Shaun Landolt, but just 51 seconds later Torren Delforte tied things up at 5:06. Hanson picked up his first goal at 12:41, but Goeckner-Zoeller tied things at 2-all on the power play at 13:47, again getting help from Landolt and Bennefield. Kevin Gardner put Arizona up 3-2 at the 18:23 mark with a shorthanded tally with the assist from Hanson to give the Sundogs the lead going into the second.

Following a scoreless second period, Hanson pushed the Sundogs’ lead to 4-2 54 seconds into the third to end all scoring despite the Bees’ attempts late in the frame after pulling netminder Andy Franck with 1:30 remaining.

JF Perras picked up his second win in net with 47 saves, while Andy Franck suffered the loss with 25 stops.

The Bees play host to Amarillo (5-2-0) at 1 p.m. today. The Gorillas lost 5-2 in Laredo on Friday night.

-- Killer Bees Services