1981_11 The Daily Collegian November 1981

              Sports
P»oa10/N(>vember 11.1981-Dnlly Collegian
Rags to riches
CSUF's turnaround soccer team hopes for success story
The writers of those rags-to-riches
type stories had better get prepared to
add another chapter. They can call this
one The Rise of CSUF Soccer.'
Just three years ago, the Bulldog
kickers finished 7-t for the season and
2-4 in their league, the Pacific Soccer
Conference. Things just weren't going
Fresno's way.
But one look at the local sports pages
will tell you that those days are definitely
gone. CSUF's 2-1 victory over Stanford
last Saturday boosted the Bygfcjogs to
14-5-1 overall and 5-1 in the PSC. -
Quite a turnaround.
The latest Far West Rankings com¬
piled by the Intercollegiate Soccer As¬
sociation of America have the 'Dogs in
the No. 5 spot and if Fresno can get
by Cal State Fullerton tonight and the
University ot ban rrancisco Saturday,
the 'Dogs might have shots at winning
their first PSC championship and making
a trip to the NCAA Championships.
The Bulldogs will take on Fullerton,
the No 8-ranked team in the West, at
7:30 p.m. in Bulldog Stadium and al¬
though it will be a non-league get-
together, the 'Dogs regard it as a vital
contest. A win would greatly enhance
their chances of being admitted into the
NCAAs.
The match against USF at Bulldog
Stadium Saturday could be even more
important. As of today, the defending
national champions from San Francisco
are atop the PSC standings with a 4-0-1
mark (USF plays Stanford today), ahead
of Cal, Berkeley and CSUF; which are
tied for second. A victory over USF
combined with a Cal loss to tough San
Jose State, would give the 'Dogs the
The NCAA Division I soccer Cham¬
pionships will be a 20-team affair with
two teams being chosen from each of the
country's eight regions—Far West,
Midwest, New York, New England,
Great Lakes, Middle Atlantic, South
Atlantic and South.
There will also be four at-large
selections, with no more than two at-
large invitations going to any on* re¬
gion. The PSC does not receive an
automatic berth, but if CSUF could win
its next two matches, the 'Dogs would
be practically assured of an invitation.
Of course, the odds may be stacked
against CSUF in this final week of the
regular season, but just the very idea
that the Bulldogs are talking champion¬
ship, is something relatively new and
exciting to the university's program.
CSUF's road from mediocrity to re¬
spectability got a start in 1979 when
the Bulldog kickers posted winning rec¬
ords of 4-3 in conference and 10-6-1 over¬
all. But it was just the tip of a victory
iceberg.
In that winning season. Dr. Jose
Elgorriaga spent his first year at CSUF
as an assistant coach under Bob Bere-
skin. The next year, Elgorriaga took
over the head coaching reins and beauti¬
ful things began to happen. •
In his initial season at the helm, El¬
gorriaga spurred his team on to a 14-4
overall showing and a 5-2 mark in the
PSC, which was good enough for a
second-place finish. That year, CSUF
beat strong Santa Clara University for
the first time ever.
'We keep knocking down barriers,'
says Elgorriaga, who was bom in.Spain
andraised in France. 'Last year we beat
Santa Clara and this year we beat San
Jose for the first time. Now we hope we
can get by USF for the first time too.'
Elgorriaga attributes CSUF's rapid
rise In the collegiate soccer world to
several factors.
'First of all, we've developed strong¬
er recruiting,' he said during a break
from practice Monday. 'Then, the ath¬
letic administration is backing the pro¬
gram 100 percent. That's something
that hasn 't happened in the past.
'We also have the help of a strong
boosters' organization, which helps us
raise money for scholarships and gets
people out to the games,* the coach
continued. 'And of course, we are aided
by a strengthening local program for
youngsters. Eight of our 11 starters
played in the junior soccer leagues of
The sport itself has also climbed from
a sea of obscurity, so much to the point
that Elgorriaga says his program may be
the only one on the West Coast that
has a chance at paying for itself.
While CSUF plays in front of 100-200
people at such places as Stanford and
San Jose State, the minimum crowd at
a Bulldog home game this season was
995 (on a weekday night). The 'Dogs
drew a record CSUF soccer crowd of
3,671 earlier this season, when they
hosted the University of Portland and
Elgorriaga Is hoping for a gathering of
at least 5,000 for the clash with LJSF.
'People are beginning to discover the
sport and enjoying it,' he said. "And
now they have a pretty good team to
come out and watch."
While the Bulldogs are piling up wins
this year, they've also helped Elgor¬
riaga sprout a few gray hairs. Of their
14 wins, 10 of them -have been by a
one-point margin. Scoring hasn't been
in abundance as CSUF managed just
one goal in eight matches. Defense and
determination have been the two factors
that have given the 'Dogs the upper
hand.
There have been so many evenly
matched teams on our schedule and the
difference between most of the teams
in the PSC Is just one goal,' said Elgor¬
riaga. "Usually the things that make a
soccer team a winner are guts, de¬
termination and a deep desire to win,
along with the ability to give that ex¬
tra 10 percent when the game is nearing
the end and you're tired.
Those things really show on this
team, especially In our last two games
by one goal.*
Elgorriaga says he has just the right
chemistry on this year's duo.
This team has lots of character and
guts, just like last year's team,* he said.
'It has a combination of skills and in¬
credible physical condition. And it has a
urn
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Bulldog quarterback:
The films tell the story
The quarterback looks over the
opposing defense. He sees a linebacker
inching toward the scrimmage line. Will
he come or is he faking?
This is just one thing a quarterback
has to think about after he breaks the
team huddle. A quick look at the offense
lets him know if everyone is in the right
place.
But what about that linebacker? How
does the quarterback know?
This thing right here,' Jeff Tedford
smiled, patting what has become a close
friend. It is the CSUF football team's
Tedford, who has quarterbacked the
Bulldogs through a rather frustrating
season, says he spends about two hours
a day watching opposing defenses per¬
form on film. A week of film watching
and listening to coaches yell about what
they will do this Saturday gets the quar¬
terback prepared for the coming game.
All that film watching, Tedford says,
pays off.
'You learn their positioning,' he said.
'You can usually if they're blitzing if
they go into a man (to man) coverage.
You can tell if they are coming. *
Once the quarterback decides what he
is going to do, it is a matter of making it
happen.
*l like to think positive things,' Ted¬
ford said. 'I look over the defense and
see where the best places are to read and
the best places are to throw.*
Apparently he has found the right
places;—at least much of the time. Ted¬
ford has been the second-rated passer
in the Pacific Coast Athletic Associa¬
tion for the past several weeks Ha has
completed more than 52 percent (101 of
193) of his passes this season for eight
touchdowns and only ten interceptions.
Already he has thrown for 1464 yards,
good for second place on the CSUF all-
time list for single season efforts. And
Add 13 yards worth of rushing and
Tedford is the team leader in total of¬
fense. Last Saturday afternoon, Tedford
set a Fresno school record for total of¬
fense in a single game with 366 yards,
passing and rushing. The 365 passing
yards against Nevada-Las Vegas broke a
two-year old record held by Sergio Tos-
cano (336 yards). Toscano now backs up
Tedford.
'I never really thought about rec¬
ords,* Tedford said. 'It's really like the
whole team setting those records, not
me. I have a lot of confidence in those
guys blocking for me.*
The Bulldog front line has been re¬
garded by those in the know as one of the
best In the PCAA. Guards Steve Johnson
and Steve Houston are sure to be con¬
sidered for post-season honors.  -
This season has been discouraging
because we're so much better than the
way we've played," Tedford said, shak¬
ing his head. "Mistakes have hurt us a
lot and we've had several injuries to key
guys."
He noted running backs Danny Rainey
and defensive end Kevin Jones as some
of the key men who have fallen, although
he is quick to add the injuries were not
the most important factor in the team's
3-6 performance this year.
'We have capable people to fill in
for them,' Tedford continued. 'We just
have to cut down on our mistakes and
Even though the team took a five-
game nose dive after a season-opening
upset of Oregon in October, Tedford
said he feels he and the team have im¬
proved and should team from this sea
'This season Is hard to swallow when
you know the team is better than the
record Indicates," Tedford frowned.
Tedford said he has seen improve-
TEDFORD continued on page 11
Tedford
b*l 1 prtwrarn at Fresno.
The boosters, the fans, the coaches,
tha way I could see the football pro¬
gram building,' he said. He added tha
enthusiastic fins at Fresno are playing a
big part in turning around the Bulldog
Tedford comes to Fresno from Cerritos
JC In Norwalk. At Cerritos, Tedford be¬
came one of the most sought after pas¬
sers in the state. He threw for 1533 yards
player. K
beginnini
around, ft makes a big differ
said. "In other places I hardly t
the crowd, but hare against L_
and against Oregon, you really feel It.* '
He added the mis* is an inspiration
to play better football.
Tedford said ha really has no aspira¬
tions for professional football, although
he said if the opportunity came up he
would give it a shot.
•You have to be 100 percent total foot¬
ball to do something Ilka that," he said.
I   'I   seriously   doubt   it   will   happen
i  though.'
For now Jeff Tedford will finish out
his football days at CSUF and get his
'    ssdegree.
Mild nave to say I'm just a busl-
t   ness major at CSUF," he said.
Poloists to face Waves
The CSUF water polo team will begin the final week of its season with a
match at Pepperdine University Thursday afternoon. Starting time Is set
for 3pm.
The Bulldogs have faced Pepperdine three times already this season and
have compiled a 1-2 record against the Waves. The last meeting, In the Air
Force Tournament, resulted in a 6-5 Bulldog victory. Pepperdine is a
PCAA opponent.
CSUF's poloists will carry a four-gams win streak into Thursday's
match. Tha Bulldogs earned two victories at home last wsafcend as they
beat UC Davis, 15-9, on Friday and then topped Cal State Fullerton, 13-8,
on Saturday.
'It was by far the best weekend of the season tor us,* said CSUF conch
Tarry Ciffen. *We are playing with a new attitude and ft is showing in our
**Tne Bulldogs, who arc now 18-12-1 overall and 1-3 in the PCAA, will
dose out the season wtth UC Santa Barbara on Friday, tha Air Force
Academy team on Saturday afternoon and Cal Pory-San Luis Obtopo
Saturday night
stantiy. Whan we play against tha w
er teams, we are not as anthuslL
and tend to sink to their level. We wind
354?" '
' by former professional
_     Standan.fr' - *-
tsMtnernets. too, most or wiSfcA pmJIy   It now pitying Ms bi
got going eorty In tha year whan we   shoukJaid Its efforts th
Soccer
took a three-day road trip to Colorado.- -We've won eight of our last nine
Etojorrtoga describevhto squad as a    games and we seam to be paaking at
very emotional  one,  a tact that can    just the rightrJma,* hesaid. 'Aftarwnv
rulTi  mil again"! Tin gnnl isami "   can win any tirm
he s^d. "But on the other hand, ft is   can play wtth the
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