Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 46

Its' Sporti Coworogt Sunday, Jan. 4, 1981 Santa Crur Sentinel 47 tGkT 1979 rmnwmmtt newsmkh ttW CALIFORNIA NEWSMPtH PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION it WV rrr 7 fro 1 Late TP Pass Decisive 'Electric7 Chargers Shock Bills, 20-14 SAN DIEGO (AP) San Diego wide receiver Ron Smith, an improbable hero in the Chargers' 20-14 playoff victory over Buffalo Saturday, saw it coming. "When I got up to the line, the cornerback didn't rotate and I knew all Danny (San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts) had to do was get it to me. "It left me with the safety to cover me. No safety can cover me," Smith said after turning the catch into a game-winning 50-yard touchdown play with 2:08 remaining in the American Football Conference semifinals.

The dramatic victory moved the Chargers into the AFC title game next week in San Diego against the winner of Sunday's Oakland-Cleveland game. The winner of that game will meet the NFC representative in Super Bowl XV in New Orleans on Jan. 25. It was the second straight year that Smith was in the right place at the right time with a season at stake. "That's the second biggest catch of my career," Smith explained.

His biggest was a 43-yard bomb when the Los Angeles Rams defeated Dallas in the opening round of the NFC playoffs a year ago. Going into Saturday's game, Smith had caught only four passes for 48 yards since being acquired by the Chargers from the Rams at the end of the preseason schedule. "It was a post route and it was up to Danny to read the secondary and.throw it to me," said Smith, a third-year pro and one of four receivers in on the play. "I knew Dan would pick it up." Smith, who said he was trying to atone for two earlier missed passes, caught the ball at about the 25-yard line and ran in untouched. "He just got away from them," said Fouts.

San Diego Coach Don Coryell said, "We just happened to hit a seam between the safety and the corner." That spoiled a game performance by Bills' quarter Joe who reinjured his ankle on the fifth play of the game. Ferguson missed five plays while the ankle was retaped, but limped back onto the field with his team trailing 3-0 and rallied the Bills to a 14-3 halftime lead. On the Bills' second possession, Ferguson directed a 72-yard march for a touchdown, capped by a 1-yard run by Roosevelt Leaks, and added a 9-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Frank Lewis with 16 seconds left in the half San Diego, which had jumped into a quick lead on a 22-yard field goal by Rolf Benirschke after the Chargers' first drive stalled at the Buffalo 4-yard line, was muffled the rest of the half. And Buffalo got a boost late in the half when a jarring tackle by cornerback SEE PAGE 50 Turnovers Plague Vikes A Time-Tested Theory7 Works For The Eagles PHILADELPHIA (AP) The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Minnesota Vikings in a National Football League playoff game Saturday by practicing one of the oldest theories in the game keep the ball away from the other team. The Eagles' defense limited Minnesota to 13 running plays for a total of 36 yards and forced eight turnovers as they beat the Vikings 31-16 and advanced into the National Football League's National Conference playoff final.

Philadelphia had the ball two-thirds of the game, actually 39 minutes and 15 seconds to 20:45 for the frustrated Vikings. A tight-fisted game in which the Vikings led 16-14 in fourth period was broken open by an bevy of Minnesota turnovers, pass interceptions and fumbles that virtually handed the Eagles the game. In all, Philadelphia intercepted five of quarterback Tommy Kramer's passes and recovered three fumbles. Seven of those turnovers came in the second half. Minnesota Coach Bud Grant attributed his team's pathetic running attack to the loss of running back Ted Brown, who suffered a sprained knee and was unable to play in the second half.

Eagles Coach Dick Vermeil said the victory by his East Division champions was forged by the defense. "The defense did a super job of creating turnovers," Vermeil said. "And that factor was the whole thing. We have an aggressive defense. Defense is the strength of our team.

That's where our No. 1 draft picks have been, guys like (cornerback) Roynell Young and (linebacker) Jerry Robinson." Vermeil said the offense picked up the tempo in the second half from the defense. What did Vermeil say to his team at halftime, when they trailed 14-7? "We talked about maintaining our poise," Vermeil said. "And we did." Minnesota's Kramer, who had only 10 passes intercepted in the last eight regular-season games, said the Philadelphia interceptions came from a lot of deflections and at least one mixup on a pattern by a Vikings receiver. Grant was asked about the three fumbles by the NFC Central Division champions, who had lost only three fumbles in their eight games.

"We haven't been a fumbling team and, maybe, the percentage just caught up with us," Grant responded. The Eagles scored what proved to be the winning touchdown in the third period after linebacker Reggie Wilkes recovered one of those costly Minnesota fumbles at the Vikings' 18. Wilbert Montgomery swept the final 5 yards for the score four plays later. The victory moved the Eagles into the Jan. 11 National Football Conference title game against the winner of Sunday's Dallas-Atlanta clash for the right to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XV at New Orleans on Jan.

25. Philadelphia trailed 16-14 after a third-period sack of quarterback Ron Jaworski SEE PAGE 50 (AP Laserphnto) It was a rough day for pass receivers, as Buffalo's Steve Freeman (22) and Bill Simpson (45) tie up Ron Smith of San Diego. It's Official: Georgia Is National Champion was a distant runner-up. The Panthers received 3V2 first-place votes and points. The remaining first-place ballot went to Florida State, an 18-17 loser to Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.

The setback dropped the Seminoles from second place to fifth, still the highest they have ever been in the final rankings. Oklahoma jumped from fourth to third with 1,100 points. It was the Sooners' third consecutive third-place finish and their 10th in a row in the Top Ten. Michigan whipped Washington 23-6 in the Rose Bowl and went from fifth to fourth with 1,033 points, followed by Florida State with 970 points. The rest of the Top Ten consists of Alabama, Nebraska, Penn State, Notre Dame and North Carolina.

In the final regular season poll, Georgia led Florida State 60-4 in first-place votes and 1.274-1,208 in points. "I'd like to thank the large majority of the members of the news media who voted us No. 1," Georgia Coach Vince Dooley said when informed of the final vote. "That's great. I'm really happy for our players and the whole state and all the Georgia people.

It's a great thing for Georgia." The Second Ten consists of Southern California, Brigham Young, UCLA, Baylor, Ohio State, Washington, Purdue, Miami Mississippi State and Southern Methodist. Alabama, which was ninth at the end of the regular season, jumped to sixth in the SEE PAGE 48 preseason AP poll and gradually worked their way up. They appeared in The Top Twenty every week, rising from 15th to 12th to 10th and eventually to eighth in the fourth week of the regular season. That triggered a 12-week stay on the Top Ten, capped by a No. 1 ranking for the final five weeks of the regular season.

The Sugar Bowl triumph completed a 12-0 campaign and earned Georgia 58 xk of 63 first-place votes and 1.251 Vz of a possible 1,260 points from a nation-wide panel of sports writers and sportscasters. One voter named Georgia and Pitt as co-No. 1 teams, while two others listed the Bulldogs second, one had them third and another fifth. Pitt, which trounced South Carolina 37-9 in the Gator Bowl and climbed from third in the final regular-season poll to second. By The Associated Press As expected ever since their 17-10 Sugar Bowl victory over Notre Dame, the Georgia Bulldogs, the only team to go through the entire season with a perfect record, are college football's runaway national champions for 1980.

It marks the first national championship for the University of Georgia, which began playing intercollegiate football in 1892, and whose best previous finish was runner-up to Ohio State in 1942. In dethroning Alabama, which started the season in quest of an unprecedented third consecutive national crown but wound up in sixth place, Georgia gave the Southeastern Conference its third national championship in a row and ninth since The Associated Press ratings began in 1936. The Bulldogs were ranked 15th in the os High Turns As Apt Frosh Coach Thought He Was Fired Was Stupek Pressured To Step Down? By ALAN ARAKELIAN Sentinel Sports Writer Sonny Stupek is an intelligent and enthusiastic coach. He's intense and dedicated. He's sensitive and cares for the athletes.

What's more, he's a winner. One of these years, Stupek will perhaps be a truly outstanding coach. So, why is the 26-year-old Stupek no longer Aptos High's football track and field coach? That's a good question and one which needs answering. drummed out of coaching at Aptos by the vocal and determined parents of five or six of the school's athletes Or, why anyone wants Stupek out to begin with. No, dedication and desire don't always spell success.

It's unjust, but it's true. In any line of work, for that matter. Some Aptos coaches are fit to be tied because of Stupek situation and how it's been handled. They don't want things to blow over. They want to find out what's going on.

Is a precedent being set at Aptos? Is the new principal going to give in to parents who want a coach or coaches fired? Because Stupek's "resignation" was conveniently announced on Dec. 19 and just hours before school let out for the start of a two-week Christmas vacation break nothing of real substance has come out in the open. Aptos coaches are looking for some answers. Cuneo has told the press Stupek resigned for "personal reasons" end of discussion. Stupek isn't talking to the press about the matter.

No one can blame Stupek, since he's in a vulnerable position he coached at Aptos but wasn't a full-time staffer and is, indeed, still looking for a full-time teachiirg position in the county. Thus, he is less secure than a tenured, full-time staffer. Still, a number of Aptos coaches are fearlul of what's been going on. The coaches are running a little bit scared right now. Commentary Cuneo was unavailable for comment Friday afternoon, despite being at the high school much of the day.

Six phone calls were placed to Cuneo's office by The Sentinel, but contact was never made. However, Cuneo has gone on record before in refusing to say whether or not he asked Stupek for his resignation and, when asked about Miles, said, "at no time has any coach been told that (he was fired). If a coach is out of line, I will reprimand him. If it continues I will remove the coach." But Miles said that during the course of his meeting with Cuneo, things were said during the conversation that led him to believe his job was, at least, in jeopardy. "He indicated he never made a decision," Miles said.

"I can't say he's holding it over my head, but when I left I knew I'd better watch my step. I would say I'm looking over my shoulder." The irony of the meeting between Miles and Cuneo is that Miles originally hoped their discussion might lead to his getting a full-time teaching position at the high school. Miles has taught at Rio Del Mar elementary, but is on a two-year leave of absence. And, after hearing from Warmerdam, his plans seemed useless. "I went in with the idea I'd had it," Miles said.

"I was supposedly fired before I had met the man. So, right from the beginning I asked, 'I understand I'm not going to coach next SEE PAGE 52 By ED VYEDA Sentinel Sports Writer The contention of Aptos High Principal Tim Cuneo that he has not fired or threatened to fire any of the Mariner coaches has been questioned by members of the coaching staff, many of whom are still trying to find out what was said between Cuneo and former football track and field coach Sonny Stupek in the meeting two days prior to Stupek's Dec. 19 announced resignation. Aptos frosh basketball coach Steve Miles said that at a meeting with Cuneo last summer, the principal gave him the distinct feeling his coaching job was on the chopping block. "It was a matter of semantics, that's what it boils down to," said Miles of the discussion.

Before meeting with Miles, the first-year Aptos principal met with varsity basketball coach Bill Warmerdam concerning sports conduct during a game from which Warmerdam was ejected in December of 1979. At that meeting, an incident concerning Miles was brought up and Warmerdam also got the feeling that Aptos was going to be out one frosh coach. "Bill was convinced I wasn't coming back," Miles said. "He called me the day before (Miles' meeting with Cuneo) and told me, 'I don't think you're going to be able to coach next Warmerdam has said, "He (Miles) was fired. Then he (Cuneo) changed his mind." Officially, Stupek resigned two weeks ago for "personal reasons" in the two sports.

However, some of Stupek's coaching colleagues at Aptos as well as other friends and supporters in Santa Cruz County say they know differently. They're convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt Stupek was pressured into resigning by Tim Cuneo, Aptos' first-year principal. They believe Cuneo crumbled under the weight of parental pressure and canned (or threatened to, anyway) the young coach. Truthfully, it's hard to believe otherwise. For one, Stupek is not a quitter.

It's even harder to comprehend how Stupek, an up-and-coming young coach with tremendous potential, can be SEE PAGE 52.