Bulldogs make a run for the California border

CAYTE PUSHKAREVA/YH After their 48-2 rout of Valparaiso, the Elis travel to California to face the San Diego Toreros.

After its 48-2 rout of Valparaiso on Sat., Sept. 25, the football team leaves the friendly confines of the Yale Bowl and heads west to face the San Diego Toreros on the Elis' first-ever trip to California. Why would the athletic department schedule a game so far away?

There are plenty of good reasons, according to associate athletic director Colleen Lim. "We are a national institution that wants to recruit players from all over the country, and this definitely enhances our efforts," she said. Head coach Jack Siedlecki agreed with this assessment. "This gives our program much more exposure," he said. "We have 14 players from California, and this game gives our recruits from California the chance to see us play in person. We have received many calls this week from potential recruits who are very excited about the game." Yale is the only Ivy League football team to travel west of the Mississippi this year, and Lim believes that recruits will take notice.

Yale also hopes this contest will attract West Coast alumni. "This is a great event for the development office," Siedlecki said. "This is a chance to gather many alums in one place who normally would not watch Yale play." Although Yale's endowment is already enormous, the athletic department relishes the chance to press former Yalies for funds. The strategy has worked for other Eli teams, including soccer, basketball, volleyball, and golf, which have traveled as far as Florida, California, Georgia, and Indiana.

The athletic department began planning this weekend's game against San Diego about five years ago, two years before Siedlecki even arrived at Yale. According to Siedlecki, the planning that goes into a trip of this magnitude provides its share of headaches. "Trips are always a distraction," he said. "Players worry about seeing their families and getting tickets. This trip, especially, is very involved." Yet the length of the trip also excites the players. "It feels big-time to take a plane from New York to California to play a football game," offensive tackle Kyle Metzler, JE '02, said.

Despite their excitement, the Elis are anxious about facing an unfamiliar team. How good are the Toreros? "That's hard to say," Siedlecki said. "We have not seen them play a team that we have faced, so without the common opponents as a guide, it is hard to judge them." Metzler is certain, however, that Yale will leave California with a victory. "They are a small school in the same league as Valparaiso, and we should be able to play like we did [against Valparaiso]," he explained.

San Diego competes in the Pioneer Football League, a five-team conference that spans the nation and includes Butler, Drake, Dayton, and Valparaiso. The Toreros have a 2-1 record, with wins over Whittier and Cal Lutheran. San Diego's offense, led by tailback Oscar Arzu '01 and wide receiver Dylan Ching '00, has amassed 70 points in its last two games. Arzu has already rushed for 429 yards and seven touchdowns—in his last game, he had 202 yards and three touchdowns on only 25 carries.

San Diego's arsenal also includes a solid passing attack, which is aided by Ching, the Toreros all-time leading receiver, whose 18 catches and 195 yards pace the team. Ching has caught 24 touchdowns in the last two years, but his production will be limited by the loss of star quarterback, Mike Stadler '00, a 27-year-old former baseball player who suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Will Siedlecki plan anything new for the Eli offense and defense against San Diego? "We will not prepare any differently for this game, but we have more options because some young guys made big plays last week," he said. He anticipates that wide receiver Billy Brown, CC '02, and tight end Jeff Ditman, TD '02, will spend more time on the field after strong performances against Valparaiso last weekend. "We want to expand our offense by playing more people," Siedlecki said. "That way, we stay fresh and are harder to defend. Depth helps us get through the injuries of a 10-game season." While Siedlecki focuses on the improvement of the passing game, Metzler believes that the Elis need to juice up their running game. "We need to get Rashad [Bartho-lomew, MC '01] going and get him 100 yards," he said.

Most of all, the Bulldogs hope to return from sunny San Diego on a two-game winning streak. Though Siedlecki reminded his team that the trip is not a sightseeing tour, Yale will provide the players with a reception at the hotel after the game and then let them soak in some rays on Sunday before returning home later in the evening. The Eli faithful hope that the squad returns to the Elm City with suntans and, more importantly, a 2-1 record.

Back to Sports...