Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 128

SEB Wednesday, June 22, 1988 NE The Arizona Republic 5 SPORTS Babo's soccer dream nearing reality mm, i' TvJ wt xfr.i rrr-f ijV i'-y, 1 Pl 't mmM f- Santos teams making strides, improving skill By Bob McManaman The Arizona Republic The dream is coming true, says Santos soccer coach Luis Dabo. When Dabo organized the youth team two years ago, he said his players would be the best in the state. By the time they turned 16, he said, they would be unbeatable. Santos soccer is not yet invincible, but Dabo doesn't seem to mind. He doesn't stress winning.

Skill and control is what makes the team work. And Dabo said his players have more than anyone. "Right now, I don't think there is any team in the state that can match up with them skill-wise," said Dabo, who played and coached professionally until settling in the Valley three years ago. "These kids are just way ahead of everyone. "We lost to the Cisco Kickers in the semifinals of the state cup last month, but I think you could tell we were the better team." The Kickers went on to win the state championship and the right to represent Arizona in this week's U.S.

Youth Soccer Association's Far West Rcgionals, which began Thursday at various sites in the Valley. Dabo said his Santos teams could soon dominate that tournament and, Bob McManamanThe Arizona Republic Luis Dabo does not stress winning in his Santos soccer programs, rather skill and control. a handful of players, said he has almost 200 youngsters aged 10 to 16 involved in his Santos club. Last year at this time, he had only enough to field two under-12 teams. Today, there are 11 teams in the Santos organization.

"The kids are coming in on their own," said Dabo, who plans to take three of his teams to Brazil in July to See SANTOS, page NE8 within another three to four years, perhaps the USYSA national finals. "You will be hearing much, much more from us before long," Dabo said. "Soon, we will be the best of the best." Several coaches have been losing their players to Santos in recent months. "We've got kids coming to us from all of the top clubs around the Valley now," Dabo said. "Well, you can see the difference between them and the kids who have been with us from the beginning.

It's like night and day. These new kids come from some of the top teams, but based on their individual skill level, they are way behind." Dabo, who built the program with Tom StoryThe Arizona Republic Mason Rudolph's goal at the start of last season was simply to attain a junior college scholarship. He wound up getting drafted. Dobson's surprise a big-league catch WESER CUSTOM IRONS FOR THE SWEETEST FEEL, DISTANCE AND ACCURACY. 9 IRONS $345 3 COUPON HITCHING POST Scottsdale Rd.

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All for $20.00 per person. For your tee time, call 948-6770. By Bob McManaman to METALWOODS $165 REFINISMING SPECIAL $13 EA ff The Arizona Republic When. Mason Rudolph went out SHAMPOO INTERIOR POLISH HAND WAX EXTERIOR (choice of Wax) 69.95 Detail 947-5751 weseus for. the baseball team at Dobson High School last season, he set one goal for himself.

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Mockingbird Lane Scottsdale really expect any of this to happen." What happened was that Rudolph, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound Rise Dine I i 1 i. catcher who apparently wasn't good enough to play varsity for the Mustangs a year ago, was drafted by the New York Mets. "-Jl it, I Rudolph, who spent almost his entire junior season on the Dobson On Our Breakfast Special Sausage or Bacon Eggs, Hash Browns Mon-Fri 70 amH junior varsity team in 1957, was chosen 111 the 17th round of the free-agent draft. According to his father, Ken Rudolph, a former major league catcher with such teams as the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco ever coached, but one of the best I have ever seen." Rudolph, who has been entertaining offers from Arizona Western, Central Arizona College, Scottsdalc Community College and most recently Arizona State, blossomed into one of the state's top catchers this year, according to several coaches.

Corona del Sol coach Ron Davini, who caught at ASU and for five years in the minor leagues and is considered an expert on the position by his peers, liked Rudolph. "It's surprising," he said. "For a kid who hasn't caught that much at all, he is fundamentally sound. I really like him. He doesn't have that great quick release yet, but he'll get it.

He's got a heck of a strong arm, though. And his hitting? Well, you know what he did this season." Though he had perhaps the finest season of any player in the Central, Rudolph wasn't receiving the same attention as catchers like Tcmpe High's David Robson, a two-time All-Arizona selection who is headed to ASU on a baseball scholarship, or McClin-tock's David Wyss, a transfer student from Dobson who started in place of Rudolph there two seasons ago, and led the Chargers to the AAA-1 state championship game last month. Robson and Wyss also hit over .500. Neither was drafted last month, though Robson was picked after his sophomore season by the Milwaukee Drewers, who still own his rights. The news of being drafted by the Mets shocked Rudolph, who was "half-aslccp" when he heard it.

"They (the Mets) called my dad and told him," Rudolph said. "I See DOBSON, page NE8 Ci5T flow si Giants, one of the Mets' top scouts, Harry Minor, offered the younger Rudolph a pro contract Dale Anderson's QUILTED BEAR Scottsdale Road at Lincoln Dr. 948-7760 last weekend. Although it was not known at cos wtesp press time whether Rudolph signed it, the package apparently would include a signing bonus of about $5,000, Ken Rudolph said. Not bad for a kid who was just hoping for a chance to play junior r--'-WIrllliWf fr'i' t'm.

college ball. "I think it was my hitting. tYl AT THE SAME LOCATION IN )f ii' A I Rudolph said. He is probably right. Rudolph tore up the AAA-1 Central Region this past season, leading the league Vi H.P.

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