49ers Have Record Pass Play in Loss to Aztecs

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 non-conference game in front of 13,548 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

The big play for the 49ers (3-4) came when Oates and Foster teamed for a 98-yard touchdown pass play 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 play against Pepperdine in 1956, the 49ers’ second year of competition.

The big plays for the Aztecs were 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.

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