The Record, Bergen County, NJ

Osorio's Red Bulls Get Off to Fast Start

EAST RUTHERFORD It took only 47 seconds for the Red Bulls to find the net. Only 47 seconds for new coach Juan Carlos Osorio to get his first lead and first satisfactory moment. Dave van den Bergh's 22-yard shot - the first opportunity of the game - became the quickest goal in club history and set the tempo for the Red Bulls' 2-0 season-opening victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night at Giants Stadium.

Sports Ticker

BASKETBALL Angel Robinson had 16 points and eight rebounds to help Marquette (21-14) win the WNIT title with an 81-66 victory over Michigan State at East Lansing, Mich. Krystal Ellis, the tournament MVP with a 23.2- point average, scored 15 points. * Mike Montgomery agreed to a six- year contract to coach the California men's program nearly four years after he left Stanford for a dismal stint with the Golden State Warriors.

Memphis Blooms Thanks to Its Rose

SAN ANTONIO - They call it the dribble-drive-motion offense. The player most responsible for running it should be described the same way. For if Derrick Rose is anything to the Memphis Tigers, he is a constantly moving flurry of bounces, spin moves, scoop layups and floaters. He is a relentless bundle of activity, a dizzying combination of physical talent and basketball acumen.

It Isn't Pretty for Pettitte ; Age May Be Catching Up to Yanks' Lefty

NEW YORK - The afternoon had that unmistakable ambience of so many others during the Yankee golden era - a flawless sky, happy home crowd, a young and inexperienced Rays team ready to be devoured by baseball's version of Microsoft. Andy Pettitte walking to the mound was the perfect finishing touch, too: Who better represents prosperity in the Bronx than this latter-day Whitey Ford? Pettitte was given a warm ovation from the fans, their way of saying thank you for one more season, not to menti...

Two Lions Before Tiger ; Arnie, Jack Still Top Golf Rivalry

Jack Nicklaus is afraid of lightning, and I found out the hard way at 40,000 feet, sitting in Jack's Gulfstream V while watching its owner turn a ghostly shade of pale. The black night was exploding around us, and Nicklaus admitted he'd always feared these sights and sounds. Why in the world would I be surprised? I mean, who isn't afraid of lightning, especially when its cruel and fickle forces can knock you right out of the sky?

Busch Breaks Through at Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas After all the laps Kyle Busch has led in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this season, he finally led the only one that ever really matters. Busch won at Texas Motor Speedway in dominating fashion Saturday, leading 126 of the 200 laps and finishing more than a second ahead of Jeff Burton. With an average speed of 151.708 mph, it was the fastest Nationwide race at the 1-mile high-banked track.

Park Ridge Steals Spotlight at Relay Meet

OAKLAND For many teams, the first relay meet of the season is a chance to get the kids out on the track against live competition, allow them to stretch their muscles again and maybe try somebody out in a new event as the third or fourth entry on a relay team. But don't discount the lift a team can get by winning the big trophy the first time out. "We're all thrilled," Park Ridge coach Connie Washnik said after the Group 1 Owls won the Season Opener Invitational boys' title outright Saturday ...

Wv Boys, Clifton Girls Rule Roost

LITTLE FALLS - The Wayne Valley boys track team faced a difficult challenge to its two-year reign atop the Passaic County Relays long before the meet started Saturday. "I think some of our seniors had to be talked into making a full commitment this season," said Indians coach Doug Flower. "They all are very competitive, but we had to make sure they would give it everything in practice as well as the meets."

No-No Nirvana ; Old Tappan's Caravella Masters Ramapo Lineup

OLD TAPPAN The hot topic Saturday afternoon was no-hitters. Alex Caravella of Old Tappan had never thrown one, not even in Little League. And the Ramapo baseball players could never imagine, even in their scariest nightmares, going hitless for two straight games.

Turning Heads the First Week of Spring

John Savoie was in complete control. Not just of the count, mind you, but for the entire game.

College Baseball Roundup

W. PATERSON , ROWAN split Mike Guadango drove in four runs in the nightcap to give WPU a 12- 5 win. Rowan won the opener, 5-0.

Kansas Sets Tone, Topples Unc

SAN ANTONIO Maybe Kansas doesn't need that lone go-to guy. The Jayhawks made sure Saturday they didn't need to hit a big shot at the end of the game, because they made all the important ones before that.

Ties That Bind Unc-Kansas

SAN ANTONIO Ganging up against Chris Webber and Jalen Rose may seem like a strange place to begin a story about an unusually strong basketball relationship between Kansas and North Carolina. But the bond never felt tighter than during a few balmy days in Honolulu at the Rainbow Classic, where fans of the Jayhawks and Tar Heels teamed up to infuriate followers of the local Hawaii team.

Notes

The beast within Joey Dorsey missed all three shots he took against UCLA on Saturday night, and didn't score a point. Yet he was on the postgame interview podium along with high-scoring teammates Chris Douglas- Roberts and Derrick Rose.

Gonzo's Future at Hall Might Be in Question

Seton Hall men's basketball coach Bobby Gonzalez, athletic director Joe Quinlan and president Msgr. Robert Sheeran will have a meeting this week after Gonzalez returns from the Final Four, according to sources close to the situation. Gonzalez's future at the school could be at stake. Perhaps tellingly, state Sen. Richard Codey, who has been one of Gonzalez's most influential supporters, will not be present at the meeting, sources said. Sheeran didn't want him there.

Sizzling Stanford in Uconn's Sights

TAMPA, Fla. With five NCAA titles and nine Final Four appearances on his rsum, Connecticut's Geno Auriemma knows a thing or two about peaking at the right time. The Associated Press Coach of the Year's Huskies (36-1) have been the dominant team in women's college basketball all season and enter today's national semifinals against Stanford (34-3) with a 15-game winning streak that includes four double-digit victories in the NCAA tournament.

Nets Not Quite Ready to Give Up On Season

EAST RUTHERFORD - As a playoff spot grows more distant in the Nets' rearview mirror, they're trying to make sure they don't lose their drive to win games. There was some question as to whether the Nets gave up the fight when they were throttled by the Pistons on Friday night.

Johnson, Atlanta Nearing 1st Playoff Berth Since '99

These are not the old Atlanta Hawks anymore. No, this young group of high-flying Hawks sure seems headed to the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season. They hold a 3- game lead over Indiana for the eighth spot in the East.

Outcast Sabres Trip Up Bruins

Thomas Vanek scored three goals and Jocelyn Thibault shut out the Bruins in his first start since Jan. 21 as the Buffalo Sabres ended their season with a 3-0 win Saturday night in Boston. The victory came too late for the Sabres. It was their first game since they were eliminated from playoff contention on Thursday night in Montreal.

Rivals Ready to Rumble ; Devils-Rangers in Playoff Preview for Home Ice

NEWARK Let's call it a best of eight. The Devils and the Rangers already know that they will face each other in the first round of the playoffs. A fifth postseason installment of the Battle of the Hudson was assured with Boston's loss to Buffalo on Saturday night.