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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1998)
TUESDAY Oct. 20,1998 Best Bet World Series New York at San Diego 5:20 p.m., FOX Oregon Soccer «■ i. Nick Medley/Ememld Fullback Stacy Hebert, who has started all but one of the 50 games in the three-year history ol the Oregon women's soccer program, dribbles through three Wash ington State defenders last Sunday. Fiery Hebert sparks UO defense Stacy Hebert says she owes her intense style of play to growing up with three brothers By Tim Pyle Oregon Daily Emerald Stacy Hebert cannot help being the most physical player on the Oregon women’s soccer team. No, she did not develop her toughness by running through the streets of Ventura, Calif., with a local gang or participating in any other illegal activities. But there is a substantial reason for Hebert’s intense competitiveness, which teammates like sweeper Carrie McLana han say motivates them. “Every time I see Stacy giving a 110 percent, going for every single ball that she can, it just makes me want to do the same,” McLanahan says. The fact of the matter is that Hebert’s three brothers would not have allowed her to play any other way. “They never let me get away with any thing,” Hebert, a junior, says. "Whenever we played basketball, soccer or anything, they never let me cry or give up. I could n’t, I would get pounded later on by them. So, definitely, that has influenced my style of play.” Head coach Bill Steffen sees that feisti ness manifest itself on the soccer field. “She’s got a tremen dous competitiveness, and I think that’s im portant because what that does is fire people up at times,” Steffen says. “When she goes in for a strong tackle or wins a strong header, I think that obvi ously excites her teammates. ” Hebert’s brothers also ingrained in her a love of sports in general, not just soccer. In high school, Hebert competed in cross country, volleyball, track and soc cer. And she did well enough in all four to be named female athlete of the year as a senior and awarded a spot in the Ven tura County Sports Hall of Fame. Although Hebert has started every game in the history of the Ducks’ three year program except one (because of a red card and ensuing one-game suspen sion), she is still not a one-sport woman. As a freshman, Hebert also represent ed Oregon as a member of the women’s track team. She ranked second on the team in the 400-meter hurdles and placed eighth in that event at the Pacif ic-10 Conference Championships. Last spring, however, Hebert ran un attached and only in a couple of meets because of a minor back injury. But she says she may join the track team again this spring. “I’m trying to focus on soccer right now,” says the 5-foot-7 fullback. “(Track) Turn to HEBERT, Page 12 College football offers more thrills for fans On Monday morning I emerged from my house to a pleasant surprise — the sun. But as I approached campus, I realized that even the glowing sun could not take away what had happened to the Oregon football team on Saturday. The Ducks 41-38 overtime loss to No.2 UCLA was a dark moment, not just for the players, but for Duck fans who know Ore gon was primed for an upset. _ The fact is, every college football game is a big one. One loss and a team is fighting to keep its ranking. One loss, and guess what? Your school’s game next week won’t be nationally televised. College football bears an Opinion excitement that professional ™.i.himhm football does not. The pros AlliSOll are used to the spotlight and n.Kl, the hype. Whether they win _ or lose, they are paid to play. In fact, a team can lose a game, maybe even two, and still win the Super Bowl. In college, every Saturday is a roller coast er of upsets and miracle wins. Students fill stadiums and bring a presence to the game that isn’t at a pro game. Tickets to a pro game are expensive, while students usually at tend college games for free. Thus, Saturday brings yet another reason for die-hard stu dents to start drinking before noon. Once inside the stadium, the band makes its presence known as well. There are no bands at the professional level. There might be drunk, rowdy fans, but the average age is much older than a crowd at a college game. The ultimate goal of every college team is to make a bowl appearance. Even Oregon State has managed to take part in the bowl chase. A win on the road-against Stanford two weeks ago has it believing anything is possible. And if the Beavers’ chances fora bowl appearance come down to their last game of the season against Oregon, that may turn out to be the Ducks’ toughest game of the year, believe it or not. College football has the power to con sume an entire campus. I watched Satur day’s game with several friends, and none of us sat for more than 30 seconds. This is our team. These are our Ducks. And when it Turn to ROSS, Page 12 Latimer named to replace Droughns as Ducks’ starting tailback Junior Derien Latimer will start for the second time this season on Saturday against Southern California at Autzen Stadium By Rob Moseley Oregon Daily Emerald Most of the Oregon football team re turned to practice Monday, although there were some conspicuous absences due to in juries suffered in the loss to UCLA Satur day. Offensive tackles Marco Aguirre, who partially tore a knee ligament, and Josh Beckett, who sustained a foot contusion, both watched from the sidelines. Tailback Kevin Parker hobbled in on crutches with a temporary cast covering his sprained right ankle. But the most glaring absence was that of tailback Reuben Droughns, who underwent surgery Monday at Sacred Heart Medical Center to repair the broken bone and se verely sprained ligaments in his right leg. “Right now the team’s looking at it like when Peter [Sirmon] went down,” receiver Damon Griffin said. "Somebody has to step up. It’s not just one person; the whole of fense has to step up because we lost a good portion of our yardage. ” The most likely candidates to replace Droughns’ production are Jason Cooper, third on the team in rushing this season, and Derien Latimer, listed as the starter for this Saturday’s homecoming matchup with Southern California. Latimer, a junior, was third in rushing last season with 115 yards on 29 carries, well behind team leader Saladin McCul lough’s 1,343 yards on 267 carries. “He’s had some great backs ahead of him,” Griffin said. “This is a great opportunity, and I think he knows it.” Notes from Saturday's game: Despite being well below his average of 283.6 yards passing per game this sea son, Akili Smith’s 221 yards through the air moved him within 64 yards of George Shaw and eighth all-time among Oregon Football Notes Oregon’s career leaders. Shaw accumu lated 3,088 yards from 1951 to 54 ... Smith’s three touchdowns passes moved him from a tie for ninth to a tie for fourth on Oregon’s single-season list. Smith is tied at 18 TDs with Jason Maas (1997) and Chris Miller (1985). First all time are Danny O’Neil and Bill Mus grave with 22 touchdown passes in one season. Musgrave accomplished the feat in 1989, while O’Neil reached that mark in both 1993 and 1994 ... Droughns’ third-quarter rushing touchdown was his 10th of the season, sixth all-time at Oregon. Saladin McCullough estab lished a new standard last season with 15 scoring jaunts ... Kicker Nathan Vil legas converted all five of his extra point attempts and his sole field goal at tempt on Saturday. Villegas remains perfect at 11 for 11 on field-goal at tempts this season and has converted all 36 of his point after tries ... Josh Bid Turn to FOOTBALL, Page 12 [Latimer’s] had some great hacks ahead of him. This is a great opportunity, and I think he knows it. ” Damon Griffin UO receiver
