Utah State University - Buzzer Yearbook (Logan, UT)

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ugh mist of foilure otherwise dismal sports scene In September the Utah State sports scene looked like o script from a movie about underdogs. Vou know houj those movies always end. It appeared, however, thot the figgies hod never seen one of those scripts. The year in sports wos one of steady change ond surprises. There.wos dromo on the fields ond courts, with some successes. but mostly failures in both the women’s ond men's programs. ULIhen conversations included tolk about notional championships for Utah Stote, the women's program seemed to be in the public eye. Hoving three of the five varsity teoms work their woy into notional tournaments, it took the flg nine (yes, USU does hove o women’s softball teom) to sove faith for Utah Stote by winning the school's only notional title for the year. Golfer Joy Don Blake looked like he would be the hero in on otherwise dismol manuscript of men's athletics. However. 8lake fell two strokes short of defending his notional title ot the NCAA golf championships. Going into the final doy of ploy with o six stroke lead. Bloke hod three bogeys ond o double bogey on the bock nine bringing him short of on otherwise happy ending. In its third Pacific Coost Rthletic Association yeor. the Rggie sports scenario didn't include winning conference titles. UJith the completion of the 10,000 seats in Romney Stadium and a new scoreboard to boot, the Rg football representatives slipped just short of the PCRR crown. After losing four of their first six gomes, the Aggies tried greasing their woy post the University of Utah, but lost 23-19 on o lost minute drive by the Utes. Thot Saturday’s gome added the extra chopter to the season's history os five of USU's offensive linemen were forced to change their jerseys during the first quarter of ploy. According to Referee Lorry Rice, the reason for the change wos o foreign” substance found on the players' jerseys. The squad then traveled to Californio ond defeated conference foe Col State-fullerton 28-17. It looked then like the Ags' might be o reol force in the PCRR. Brighom Voung then come to Logon ond put 70 points through on embarrassed USU defensive unit. Not oil foith wos lost os Bob Gogliono guided on offensive Rg attack thot put 46 points up in lights during the losing effort. Rs on added attraction. BVU's Junior Filiogo brought boxing into Romney Stadium. Throwing three punches into the body of Referee John Berleffi, filiogo wos thrown out of the gome while the ref stayed down for o ten count. The Rggie defense must hove learned something from the BVU gome, os during the next three gomes the unit gave up

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success shines Mire women bring championship to 24

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only 20 points. LUinning gomes over Fresno State. Pacific and UJeber State, the figs then traveled to Long Beach State for a dismal ending to what had been an improving plot. During the final minutes of play USU blew its lead os well as a conference crown, losing 28-27 to the 49ers. They rebounded m the last game of the season against San Jose State and won 44-38. UJhile Head Football Coach Bruce Snyder was home watching the bowl games. Rod Tueller. Snyder's counterpart in basketball, was watching movies of his two wins of four early-seoson games and a tournament win at the InBank Classic. Rs you know, a movie preview doesn't always express how the final product may turn out. Such was the cose with the men's basketball season. Rfter losing to a mediocre Idaho State team, then to Portland State and Fresno State, the plot for the rest of the season seemed to be obvious. It was lose one. win one. lose three, win one. lose two. win one. lose one. win two. (yes. a streak), then lose one more. The words Rggie bosketball and inconsistent become synonymous. USU finished the regular season with a 11-15 record and entered the PCRR tournament in fifth place. They were to match up against Irvine, whose personnel included the nation's leading scorer. Kevin Magee. Irvine hod beaten the Rgs in two previous gomes during season play. Tueller. in a surprise strategy monuever. used o diamond defense with Hookon Rustefjord and Cdgar UUickliffe trading off against Magee, who was