Bucknell

La Salle had proved it could compete against some of the country's elite teams. But coach John Giannini could see this coming. He could see it in the lethargy that seemed to grip his team in the practices after Sunday's stomach-churning loss to Villanova. He could see it in the many defensive lapses that have afflicted the Explorers and prevented them from reaching their potential. "This is going to sound bizarre, but in some ways I'm relieved," Giannini said after well-drilled Bucknell easily defeated La Salle, 89-77, Friday at Tom Gola Arena.

Two players from South Jersey Group 4 champion Cherokee head up The Inquirer's first team all-South Jersey football defensive squad. Defensive back Mike Zeuli, a second-team choice last year, is joined by defensive lineman Nick Foster. This season, Zeuli had more than 100 tackles and intercepted three passes. A hard hitter and stellar two-way player, Zeuli rushed for 588 yards (10.32 average) and nine touchdowns and caught 15 passes for 175 yards and seven touchdowns. Princeton, Penn, Cornell, Fordham, and Bucknell are among the schools that Zeuli is considering.

Vinnie Pini, a dangerous senior wide receiver and return man from Burlington Township, has made an oral commitment to attend Bucknell. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Pini, who also played defensive back, became the second South Jersey recruit this week to commit to Bucknell, joining Bishop Eustace center Mike Spear. Pini had 31 receptions for 452 yards and three touchdowns in helping the 6-4 Falcons earn a South Jersey Group 3 playoff berth. He also averaged 24.86 yards per punt return with three touchdowns.

Vince Kowalski knows some folks have the wrong impression about football players. Especially the best football players. "Some people have this stereotype that we're just dumb guys," said Kowalski, a two-way lineman for Williamstown. Kowalski and other top football players have spent their high school careers proving they can excel in the classroom as well as on the field. Kowalski, Cherokee's Mike Zeuli, Haddonfield's Matt Porter, and Holy Spirit's Anthony Sarao will be scholar-athlete honorees at the Brooks-Irvine Memorial Football Club's annual banquet Monday at the Westin Hotel in Mount Laurel.

While most of Penn's soccer matchup with Bucknell was spent in a defensive battle, the outcome came down to one kick. Fortunately for the large crowd at Rhodes Field, that kick came from junior forward Christian Barreiro to lift the Quakers, 1-0, in overtime last night in the first round of the NCAA Division I playoffs. Penn advances to play No. 2 seed Maryland on Sunday. Most of regulation time was spent with back-and-forth action, as Penn attempted to counter Bucknell's height advantage with speed.

For 15 agonizing minutes, Penn's soccer players had their eyes glued to a TV waiting for confimation - and affirmation. Forty-eight teams earn berths in the NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, and the Quakers (12-5-0) got the final spot Monday night as an at-large team. Tonight at 7, they will host Patriot League champion Bucknell (10-8-2) at Rhodes Field. The winner plays Sunday at Maryland. "We were confident that we were going to get a bid, but you just never know," coach Rudy Fuller said.

There was a bit more than 3 minutes remaining in an increasingly one-sided game when the Marist pep band began playing a song that, given the circumstances, seemed particularly appropriate. AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" is what Villanova did yesterday evening to the outmanned Red Foxes, who were thumped, 84-47, in the opening round of the NIT Season Tip-off at the Pavilion. Villanova plays a second-round game tonight against Boston University, which beat George Washington, 76-67, in the second game of the doubleheader.

So how did sixth-ranked Villanova look on opening night? Depends on the minute. Ragged for one possession, well-oiled the next. A pass to press row in the first half. Some perfect kickouts leading to smooth jumpers in the second. Nine turnovers before the break. Three afterward. About what you'd expect, in other words. Bucknell hung around Friday night, pulling within eight midway through the second half. But, as you'd also expect, Villanova had a little too much to really make it interesting - too much Corey Fisher, especially.

Like a new pair of store-bought shoes, basketball teams need a bit of breaking in before they're a comfortable fit. The Villanova Wildcats may yet justify their No. 6 preseason ranking in both the Associated Press and ESPN/ USA Today coaches' polls, but they'll have to play sharper and more under control than they did in last night's season-opening 68-52 victory over pesky Bucknell at the Pavilion. Fortunately, 'Nova didn't have to be in midseason form against the Bison, who played smart and tough but lack the sort of elite athletes coach Jay Wright has assembled on the Main Line.

Who: Bucknell at Villanova When: 8 o'clock Where: The Pavilion TV/Radio: none/ESPN (950)