Best Bet
1998 Inline Tour
Championships
1:30 p.m., ESPN
Oregon soccer
Homegrown
Eugene native T.J.
Johnson stayed home
by joining the Oregon
women’s soccer team
“I’ve seen
[Eugenel go
through a
lot of
changes
because it
used to not
be this big
when I was
little. It’s not
too big, hut
it’s a happy
medium. So
I enjoy it. ”
T.J. Johnson
| Oregon forward
By Tim Pyle
Oregon Daily Emerald
There is only one homegrown Duck on
the Oregon women’s soccer team.
After living in Eugene all her life and en
joying a standout prep career at Sheldon
High School, T.J. Johnson chose to stay
home and help the Ducks get their new pro
gram off and running.
While many star prep athletes from Eu
gene decide to take their talents elsewhere,
Johnson says she remained precisely be
cause it is home — and she loves it.
“I’ve seen [Eugene] go through a lot of
changes because it used to not be this big
when I was little,” says Johnson, a 5-foot-3
sophomore. "It’s not too big, but it’s a happy
medium. So I enjoy it.”
Johnson also has enjoyed soccer since she
began playing in kindergarten.
“I like the fact that it’s a high-contact
sport,” Johnson says. “It’s very physical, and
it’s demanding. I’m in the best shape of my
life during [soccer] season.”
As a prep, Johnson earned all-league hon
ors in each of her last three seasons. In addi
tion to being the team captain as a senior,
Johnson was named first-team all-league
and team MVP. She says that last award is
the one she cherishes most because her
teammates voted on it.
"I play a lot for the people who are on the
team,” Johnson says. "You can only do so
much for the coaches, and the rest of it is for
the team that you’re on. ”
But Johnson did not shine solely on the
soccer field for her first three years. She was
also a member of the varsity basketball team
until she gave up hoops her senior year to
focus completely on soccer.
That focus paid off in the form of a full
ride scholarship.
Johnson says she was eager to become
part of the foundation of the Oregon pro
gram, which began in 1996 when she was a
Turn to SOCCER, Page 8
..I
Matt Hankins/Emerald
Top: Forward T.J.
Johnson’s deter
mination makes
her one of the
Ducks' top scoring
threats.
Bottom: As she
showed against
Portland State,
Johnson has ad
justed to the fast
pace of collegiate
soccer.
/Viol' MeiileyrKmemL
Former walk-on takes over as Beavers’ quarterback
freshman Jonathan Smith nearly led
the Beavers to victory against
Washington in Seattle on Saturday
By Rob Moseley
Oregon Daily Emerald
Oregon State head football coach Mike Riley may
be on to something here.
After losing four of their first five Pacific-10 Con
ference games this season with junior Terrance
Bryant at quarterback, the Beavers went to redshirt
freshman Jonathan Smith early in the second quar
ter against Washington on Saturday.
With Oregon State down 14-7, Smith calmly
completed five passes, including his first three, and
led the Beavers to a field goal. Three quarters and
469 yards passing later, Smith was under center for
a two-point conversion with the Beavers down 35
34 and no time on the clock.
Smith’s lob to Roddy Tompkins fell incomplete,
but he was rewarded Monday with the Pac-lO’s of
fensive player of the week honor.
“I have learned not to be surprised by Jonathan,"
Riley said after the game. "He was a walk-on, and
from the time he was here last fall, he’s always gone
into practice and performed. He’s always got the
best touch on a deep ball.”
That touch led to three scoring passes of more
than 33 yards, including one each from 80 and 90
yards out. Not only did it earn Smith the conference
honors, but Riley said Tuesday that he plans to start
the freshman this Saturday against California.
“We’ve been impressed with him since last
spring through fall camp,” Riley said. “Every time
he’s been in a scrimmage or a competitive situation
he’s moved the ball.”
Riley dubbed Smith a “recruited walk-on.”
“We didn’t have another scholarship left, but his
grandmother lives in Corvallis," the coach said.
“He was looking for a place to go, and we encour
aged him to come here.”
And it seems to have worked out, as Smith nearly
FOOTBALL
Pac-10 Notes_
led the Beavers to victory against the historically
powerful Huskies.
After completing a 33-yard touchdown pass to
former quarterback Tim Alexander as time expired,
Smith’s game-winning attempt to Tompkins was
broken up by Washington’s Nigel Burton in what
Husky coach Jim Lambright called “as big a play as
Ortege Jenkins’ jump over the top” to beat the
Huskies on Oct. 3.
“I’ve hardly ever been in a locker room that had
as many broken hearts as that one,” Riley said.
Coming from the coach of a team that hasn’t hada
winning season in 27 years, that’s saying some
thing.
Toledo upset over perceived slights by Douglas, A. Smith
No. 2 UCLA won unconvincingly for the second
Turn to PAC-10, Page 8
SMITH