The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, June 16, 1993, Page 6, Image 6
Columbia Spirit
fights to keep
playoff bid alive
By SVETO POSTIC
Staff Writer
_ The Spirit,
Columbia's
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i sional soccer
T team and a
\\^J part of an
ambitious
national soccer
program, lost another home game
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J
eliminating them from the playoffs.
In front of less than 200 fans at
Memorial Stadium, the Spirit lost
to the Raleigh Flyers 2-0, with both
goals coming in the final 17 minutes.
With the loss, the Spirit fell to
2-7, second to last in the Atlantic
Division of the professional United
States Interregional Soccer League.
The Spirit was evidently discouraged
after last week's loss to the
Baltimore Bays when the only goal
of the game was scored on with
two minutes left to play. They had
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shooting the Bays 19-11.
The first goal for Raleigh came
off a left-footed shot by Jason Kreis
and the winner was scored by
Gregg Berhalter only a minute
before the referee signaled the end
of another disappointing game for
the Spirit.
The Spirit plays again at home
Wednesday, June 23, at 7:30 p.m.
against the Charlotte Eagles.
The Columbia team has four AllAmerican
players and nine USC
graduates, including Marty
Baltzegar. an All-American defender.
Head Coach David Torris, a
attempt to bring over all the
European and South American
stars.
"The NASL took away from the
American game." Clancy said.
"This new, grass-roots approach is
meant to start from the bottom and
have a permanent impact on the
American sports fan."
Fogler sig
By ANDREW BORGERT
Sports Editor
Eddie
F?gler's first
pykAMJWAW recruiting class
at Carolina is a
?OP^JXf ^ig one, and
pOOOOO</ going to need
the depth to
help offset the loss of several key
players from last season's team.
Physically, the class is very
promising. But Fogler pointed out
that it is no guarantee for success.
"We were trying to get some
players who could help us," Fogler
said. "There's some good athletes,
but athletes don't necessarily win
ball games."
The seven members of the 1993
class are:
Van Elswyk, 6'9", 220 lbs., from
Hamilton, Ontario, was MVP for
his high school team all four years
he played. During his senior year
he averaged 25 points, 16
rebounds, 10 assists and 4 blocked
Academic in<
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Staff Writer
The USC
football team
! g 'ost ^ree P'a^"
\ t #s\ ers f?r the
\ upcoming season
because of
academic ineligibility.
Center Kyle Cloyd, defensive
lineman Tony Law and linebacker
Lawrence Mitchell did not meet the
NCAA academic eligibility
requirements.
The NCAA changed its academic
requirements in August 1992,
according to Assistant Athletics
Director Harold White.
19<S4 Clemson National Championship
team member, is also a
player.
The Spirit is a semi-professional
organization that plans to become
fully professional next year when
the entire league will be reorganized.
and will consist of 64 teams
in eight divisions in which further
entries will be barred for a few
years.
"That way the league will be
made more exclusive and better
overall," said Finbar Clancy of
Ireland, the Spirit's top scorer, who
played for Methodist College until
1991.
Fach team is affiliated with a
youth program, which is part of a
10-year plan to popularize soccer in
America.
Fifteen years ago, the North
American Soccer League was started
in the Unitell States in an
nc npw rpr
shots per game. Elswyk, also an
outstanding student, was named
Student-Athlete of the Year at his
high school.
Malik Russell, 6'7", 208 lbs.,
comes from Notre Dame, where he
averaged 7 points and 4.6 rebounds
per game. Russell had some disciplinary
problems while at Notre
Dame, but comes to USC with
excellent credentials. The native of
Brooklyn, New York, averaged 22 '
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ijvhiiiiw ic(h)uiius anu o assists
per game in high school.
Andy Bostic, 6'5", 190 lbs., from
Spartanburg Methodist College is ,
die lone in-state signee. Bostic, a
former all-state selection at South ,
Florence High School, averaged 14 <
points and 7 rebounds per game his
sophomore year at SMC and was .
named all-region. His team went 1
27-6 and advanced to the National (
Junior College Association tourna- i
ment. i
Jiri (George) Formanek, 6'11", i
225 lbs., from the Czech Republic t
will play at center. He attended (
eligibility clain
"Student-athletes previously had r
to successfully complete 24 hours )
from one fall semester to the next
fall to maintain eligibility," White 1
said. "Under the NCAA's new 1
rule...student-athletes must still i
complete 24 hours from fall to
fall...but 75 percent of those hours c
must come during the two major s
fprmc " ^
This limits the hours that can be a
counted from summer sessions. v
White said Law, a sophomore,
will attend Hines Junior College in
Mississippi. Law could play foothill
I one year at Hines and have two
years of eligibility remaining.
Mitchell and Cloyd, if they meet
academic requirements, would
ruits for n<
Reynolds High School in WinstonSalem,
N.C., for the last two years.
Formanek averaged 16 points, 10
rebounds and 6 blocked shots last
season. He, along with Van
Elswyk, will be important players
for Carolina, which suffered from a
lark of heioht in ihp miH/tlp r?f locr
season.
In the backcourt, Fogler found
all he needed in Florida. All three
of the recruits hail from the
Sunshine State.
Donnie Matthews, 6'4", 185 lbs.,
from Gainesville, heads the list.
The AAA Player of the Year his
senior season, Matthews averaged
24 points, 7 rebounds and 4.5
assists per game. He chose Carolina
over national powers Seton Hall
and Temple.
Durrant Williams, 6'0", 165
bs.,is from Palm Beach
Community College, where he
iverageu id points ana 8 assists a
jame as team captain. While
ittending Boyd Anderson High
School, Williams was named
bounty Player of the Year. He
is three impo
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'ears of eligibility left.
Mitchell has questioned one of
lis grades from this spring, saying
le wrongly received a failing grade
n a class he dropped.
White said there is a question
oncerning Mitchell's grade and
aid he could ask to have his case
leard in August, but has no reason
t this time to think his eligibility
vili be restored.
Assistant Head Coach David
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Kevin McClendon, 6'4", 192
lbs., from Fori Lauderdale's
St.Thomas Aquinas High School is
the final signee. He had a tremendous
senior season, averaging 29
points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists a
game. He was named second team
All-State and chose Carolina over
Memphis Slate and Oklahoma.
Fogler said earlier he did not
anticipate any academic problems
for the new recruits.
"They'll be here as far as I
know." he said. "I'm not ?oine to
recruit anybody that's not going to
go to class."
According to Coach Fogler, the
expectations for these recruits will
be kept down.
"There's time to think how we
are going to play and who's going
to nlav." Footer said "I can't fell
you how good these kids are going
to be."
rtant players
Bibee said the loss of the three
players would be felt mostly in
terms of depth.
Bibee said Law was expected to
play nose guard, and mentioned
Darryl Carter, who missed spring
practice because of an injury, as a
player who could fill in at center.
Mitchell, who suffered a knee
injury during spring practice, was
not expected to be available for
three or four sames. according to
Bibee.
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