Soccer goalie Marrina Meyers follows in dad’s Forty-Niner footsteps. Photo courtesy of LBSU Media Relations.
In my sporting days back in the day, one had to be very creative and somewhat of a pest to track your favorite teams. I remember a number of years when I would call (on my regular long distance line) my pal Dr. Butler in Miami and ask him to leave the phone off the hook next to a radio or TV in his home.
I flashed back to that time this weekend when a bum knee and an end of summer cold kept me home bound. The difference in 2012 from 1962 was the relative ease of following some selected sporting contests from the casa. Regrettably, live feeds do not always equate with happy endings.
I channel-hopped with the Ryder Cup all weekend and you know the disappointing result. Beach Volleyball had a grainy video feed from Northridge (a 3-1 loss) and a much higher quality TV show from Hawaii (a 3-0 loss). Surely the Sunday night soccer, (free on Fullerton TV and on the heels of a 5-1 road wipeout of Riverside) would bring joy to mighty Danny in Ninerville? Maybe for Casey in Mudville but not in my living room. Wait til next year.
PRESENT DUST—Marco Estrada who now toils for the Milwaukee Brewers ended his 2012 excellent adventure with a dominating effort against Houston (eight innings, 4 hits, 0 runs and 11 strikeouts). Marco was a 2005 Dirtbag draftee who was traded from Washington to Milwaukee. He made a decent $486,000 this year but the bright future is that in 2013 he becomes arbitration eligible which means he could move from local brats to lobster tails.
Irony abounds when you look for it and that would explain la famiglia for Beach Soccer goalie Marrina Meyers who normally works between the pipes at George Allen Field. The GAF is the work in development next to the parking garages and home of the up and coming 49er futball team. The pitch now has lights and hopes to have better seating and other creature comforts in the future.
The recent success has lured a number of valuable transfers, plus some top prep talent, but also a walk on or two. Marrina is a walk-on but a legacy as well. Her dad is former 49er football (US style) player Rory Meyers who played under Dave Currey forty years ago. Rory transferred from Weber State where he was honorable mention All Big Sky, after he came out of Del Mar Oceanside and El Camino High. Coach Currey would like the work of Rory’s baby girl too who is like her dad a “strong” player. According to Coach Dave Rory was “one of the strongest football players on the team.”
Last add Meyers family. The LBSU’s clever soccer SID, Andrea Ohto, was helpful as usual but when searching for 1981 stats, …”I couldn’t find any stats for that year, but I doubt he had much since he was an offensive lineman.” Ain’t that the truth?
Forty Niner fans who are in mid-frothing for a look at their new team will have to wait until October 12 but Coach Jody Wynn and the Long Beach State women’s basketball team will hold its first official practice of the 2012-13 season on Monday, Oct. 1. The 49ers will go from 1PM to 4PM at the West Gym.
After a surprising late season run to the Big West tourney title game, LBSU hopes to be a more traditional contender for the conference regular season title on the strength of eight letter winners and four starters from last year.
In 2011-12, the Beach gales became the first team in Big West history to knock off the top two seeds in conference tournament action as they defeated No. 2 Cal State Northridge on the road and top seed Cal Poly at the Honda Center. It was the first time to reach the title game since 2001 but LBSU still finished the season with a 14-18 overall record.
The returning stars are big gal Devin Hudson and sophomore sharp shooter Alex Sanchez. Sanchez is LBSU’s top returning scorer (9.2 points per game last year) and recognition as an honorable mention All-Big West selection and a berth on the conference’s all-freshman team. Hudson made the Big West All-Tournament Team (6.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and Hallie Meneses (6.0 ppg, 3.3 apg) also made the tourney team but will have competition for the guard duties this fall.
FUTURE DUST—as is the pattern when the Beach teams are both away from campus the next weekend both are back on campus. Volleyball is home Friday and Saturday nights for matches with Davis and Pacific and soccer returns to George Allen Field on Friday for its Big West home opener against UC Santa Barbara at 7PM and then will host Cal Poly at 3PM on Sunday. Sunday game time was adjusted for campus traffic in the form of various marathoners–those on sneakers, chairs, bikes, skateboards and gossamer wings.—DR. DAN