Indoor Football Team Names Coach; Dennis Shaw Offensive Coordinator

The San Diego Thunder of the newly formed World Indoor Football League has named Don Matthews as coach and Dennis Shaw as offensive coordinator, general manager Johnny Sanders announced Friday.

Matthews was the head coach of the British Columbia Lions from 1983-1987. His British Columbia teams won four Western Division titles and the Grey Cup in 1985.

Shaw, a former San Diego State quarterback, played in the NFL from 1970 to 1978 and has coached at Eastern Illinois University, Chula Vista High School and Western Illinois University and with the Chicago Blitz of the United States Football League.

The Thunder will open its first season with a road game on June 19, against an opponent to be determined.

SOFTBALL

San Diego State Coach Linda Spradley announced the signing of four softball players to national letters of intent, including Sara Ahern of University City High School and a pitcher from Arizona who has not lost in 63 decisions.

Ahern struck out 116 in 113 innings and has an ERA of 0.50 this season. Christine Valero, a 5-5 pitcher from Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, has a record of 63-0 and led her team to the Arizona state championship in 1986 and 1987.

Also signing with the Aztecs were two community-college players: Julie Caldwell, an outfielder/shortstop from San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, and Christy Knight, an infielder/outfielder from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College.

TRACK AND FIELD

Tony Allen-Cooksey of San Diego led the Point Loma Nazarene Invitational Decathlon with 4,024 points after the first day of competition. The decathlon concludes today, beginning at 11 a.m. Anyone who accumulates 7,800 or more points will be able to participate in the U.S. Olympic trials in Indianapolis from July 15-23.

TENNIS

Top-seeded Jim Perley of Coronado defeated Jim Nelson of Newport Beach, 6-1, 6-2, in a quarterfinal match of the Men’s 45s National Hardcourt championships at the Lindborg Racquet Club in Huntington Beach. Semifinals begin today at 11 a.m.