SDSU Survives Long Beach Scare and 98-Yard Pass

The Cal State Long Beach passing combination of quarterback Paul Oates and flanker Sean Foster made school history Saturday night, but it was San Diego State that celebrated at the end.

The Aztecs defeated the 49ers, 30-26, in a nonconference football game in front of 13,548 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

The big plays for the Aztecs came from freshman kicker Andy Trakas’ three field goals and senior wide receiver Monty Gilbreath’s two touchdown catches. Trakas connected on field goals of 29, 49 and 43 yards. Gilbreath caught touchdown passes of 11 and 25 yards from quarterback Dan McGwire.

That, and the play of running back Ron Slack, helped make up for the loss of Darrin Wagner, the Aztecs’ suspended leading rusher and scorer.

Slack, a senior from Pasadena Muir High School, carried 41 times for 197 yards and one touchdown, both career highs. He also caught seven passes for 57 yards.

“There were certain points as the game went on when it was a challenge to see if I could rise to the occasion,” Slack said. “I’ve never carried the ball this many times, not even in high school.”

The combination was enough to give the Aztecs (2-3-1) their second victory in three games.

But the big play came from the 49ers (3-4).

Oates and Foster teamed for a 98-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, the longest play in Long Beach’s 35-year football history. It eclipsed the record of 94 yards set on a John Pembrook-to-Gene Ashwill pass against Peperdine in 1956, the 49ers second year of competition.

The touchdown cut the Aztec lead to 20-17 with 7:28 left in the third quarter.

The pass should not have been unexpected for the Aztecs. Foster, a 6-foot-1 senior, was open in the first half several times in one-on-one coverage against a smaller SDSU cornerback, but Oates had trouble getting him the ball.

This time the pass was perfect. Foster caught the ball in full stride just before midfield and ahead of Kevin Drayton, SDSU’s 5-foot-8 senior cornerback. Drayton dove and missed Foster at midfield and Foster was on his own. He raised his hands above his head at the SDSU 35 as he coasted the rest of the way into the end zone.

The pass was the one of the few moments of excitement in a game whose play often matched the mood of the three-quarter empty stadium. It was, for the most part, lifeless and uninspired.

The home crowd was the smallest for the Aztecs since 10,343 turned out on Nov. 23, 1985, to watch Doug Scovill coach his last home game--a 55-20 victory over New Mexico.

Aside from their touchdown flares, McGwire and Oates both struggled.

McGwire was 24 of 42 for 299 yards, well below his per-game average of 356.6 yards. He did throw two touchdown passes to Gilbreath. But he also fumbled two snaps from center.

“This was the first time all year (the receivers) consistently dropped the football,” SDSU Coach Al Luginbill said. “Danny was not as sharp as he has been. That kind of gives you insight into how well we played.”

Oates, a senior from Mission Hills Alemany High School, had even more problems. He was 15 of 35 for 285 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Foster caught seven of those passes for 213 yards.

Oates’ third-quarter interception set up the first of Gilbreath’s touchdowns.

Linebacker John Wessleman, who earlier blocked Long Beach field goal attempt, intercepted the pass midway through the third quarter at the SDSU 35. That led to Gilbreath’s 11-yard touchdown catch with 8:33 left in the third quarter. That followed a career-best 49-yard field goal by Trakas and gave the Aztecs a 20-10 lead.

But SDSU could not put Long Beach comfortably away.

“No matter what the coaches do, there is this attitude that (the players) decide how hard (they) are going to play,” Luginbill said. “There is nothing the coaches can do to pull us out of it. I am perplexed, frustrated and confused about how we played.”

Foster answered with his 98-yard touchdown reception. The Aztecs countered with with Gilbreath’s diving 25-yard touchdown catch for a 27-17 lead with 12:50 to play. But the 49ers responded with Rick Schwendinger’s second field goal--a 36-yarder at 10:53 to draw to within 27-20.

Trakas added his third field goal on a 43-yarder with 6:56 to play.

“I’ve had some tough times, but I stuck to the basics,” said Trakas, who missed his first attempt Saturday night and five of nine entering the game. “Tonight was a great confidence builder.”

The 49ers closed the scoring with Oates’ 12-yard touchdown pass to split end Michael Newsome with 1:39 left.

Schwendinger’s extra point attempt bounced off the upright, no good. And the 49ers last chance for a comeback failed when the Aztecs recovered the ensuing onsides kick.

Aztec Notes

The featured player in the San Diego State game program ironically was Darrin Wagner, the Aztec running back who missed the game for disciplinary reasons. Wagner and his father are to meet with Coach Al Luginbill Monday to discuss his future with the team. . . . Eric Thompson, a freshman from Los Alamitos High School, made his first start at outside linebacker for the Aztecs in place of an injured Sai Niu (bruised ribs). Morey Paul returned to the starting lineup for the first time in three games at tight safety in place of Johnny Walker (sore knee). Paul lost his starting job after being ejected in the second quarter of a 41-41 tie against Cal State Fullerton Sept. 23. . . . SDSU wide receiver Monty Gilbreath extended his school-record streak of consecutive games with at least one reception to 31. Gilbreath also moved ahead of Gary Garrison (1964-65) into second place on the school all-time reception list. Tim Delaney (1969-70) holds the record with 180. . . . The Aztecs continue a stretch of playing four of five games at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium with a homecoming game Saturday against Big West Conference member Pacific. Cal State Long Beach plays host to San Jose State Saturday in a Big West game on its homecoming.