Airforce1992yb

gIpOBTS

Aiming

intensely, C4C Nick keep the rounds

Guttman works to

hitting 2

Sports

the center of the target.

Division

he

beginnings of the

cracking

year

of books and bones

brought the cadets and

as

local football fans watched the Falcons win the Commander-in-Chiefs third year in

a row

and

for the

trophy

earn

another Lib

erty Bowl Championship.

However, the football team the

only sport

off to

a

flying

vjsls

not

start. Com

petition was tough in every area includ

ing

the ice rink, basketball court and

track.

"It seemed like there some

the "It us

was

always

intercollegiate game going on in

evening," C2C Rodney was

great for

an excuse

us

Todd said.

because it gave

to take

a

break from

studying."

Athletic competition was not the on

the

appearances

by

only thing

agenda the

as

San

guest

Diego

Chicken and the Laker Girls dance

i k ^

team

helped

In

boost school

spirit.

addition, the Air Force

Academy

hosted the

National

Boxing Championships and WAC Track and Field

the

Champi

onships. These events gave the Academy's more

athletic programs

exposure and reinforced

the fact that the Falcon teams

hold their

own.

Sports

Division 143

;

J

Director of Athletics 144

Sports

Colonel Ken Schweitzer

Deputy Director Colonel

of Athletics

Wayne English

l:m^^

1

-M

'

i

LafldfeXT ďż˝-.

Deputy

Director of

Physical Education

Colonel Richard A. Wolf

Director of

^1

n

Intercollegiate Programs

Lt. Colonel James C. Andrus

2<

The 1992 Sports Section of the Polaris is dedicated to Col. John J. Clune. He has done so much for the Air Force

sports program. He

be

missed.

greatly

_ďż˝

J

Col. Clune is taken from the Cadet

Chapel resting place.

to his final

will

146l^rts

close wins

wo

start the season "You

never

know

they

what kind of football team

you have until you play the game," coach Fisher DeBerry told

were

off to

good

start.

sity

The

1991

football team

early they were

a

proved

Boasting the fifth largest opening day

force to be

reckoned with,

chances

beat Weber State and

he

knew

as

they

Jones and

crowd at Falcon Sta dium of 41,295,

the

Falcon offense took time in

showing

no

the

"I

pleased," quarterback Rob Perez said, "although I think we could have played a was

little

a

com

The Falcons earned

such

high lights as quarterback Rob Perez scoring saw

twice

well as

as

down

a

touch-

Antoine

by

Banks. Perez also

pleted

a

60-yard

Obasi

to

cornerback

Onouha,

Mike

Rodgers intercepted

a

Ram pass in the last seconds of the game to secure a Falcon's 3126 WAC win.

"I knew since

com

bomb

when

victory

picked

on

and Primus

they

before

me

their

was

which marked the first

number

touchdown pass since the 1989 Liberty Bowl.

he would

come

back at

me

more

time,"

Second

quarter

receiver,

one

one

said.

Rodgers

highlights included, an eight-yard score by Onuaha, a ten-yard

The game didn't al ways have an air of

touchdown from Jason

cons

ter.

heads for the

pair

goal.

got off to a slow as they traUed 7-

1 7 untU the third quar

his tail, Air Force Quarterback, ClC Rob Perez

on

The Fal

excitement.

start With the Weber State defense

.jir...

of

more

plete game." their season's second

fans

.

Joe

The Falcons scored five of six posses sions in the first half;

a^

goal by

WUdcats who was boss.

on

-

50 and 42-

a

field

yard

Wood.

games.

Falcons first game, but are

in their first two

Falcon

in the season that

reporters after the

Colorado State Univer

Then, thanks to of

a

touchdown

passes to Scott Hufford and Obasi Onouha, the

winning spark ig nited.

The

defense

an

swered the call after

Perez's down

first

touch when

pass,

Vergil Simpson

recov

ered a Ram fumble cre

ating to

opportunity

an

score

Perez

again

once

then on

more.

scored

one-yard

a

run.

Both the offense and defense had

cause

to

celebrate after this win.

OFFENSE: Back: Joe Parisi Chris

Gray,

Charlie Bolton.

Chris Beake, Scott

Teigen.

Andy Alexander, J.J. Trahan Front: Joseph Pasterello,

Perez, Kyle Hamilton, Paul Hamilton, Jason Jones, Jarvis

Baker.

Photgrahics,

Inc.

Zemi

HALFBACKS:

Back:

Ron

Obasi

Onuoha,

David

Brynteson, Antoine Banks,

Gray, Wayne Young, Coach Sammy Steinmark, Kinamo

Jeff

Williams, Don Davis. Front:

Photographies,

Burbank.

Inc.

Zemi

"This is

a

great feel

linebacker Mark

ing," Moody

said.

we

all think

can

have

a

"I think now

good

we

defen

sive team. I said after the Weber State game we needed that game to

get together. I think proved that today."

we

Weber State/CSU 147

jsMMmssassmsaMM

As Inside Linebacker

Mark the

Moody

Aztec

outside

C2C

#36 pressures

quarterback,

linebacker

Vergil Simpson

C2C

#97 swats

down the pass.

As he

approaches

the ball

Kette ClC carrier, Dornbusch prepares to tackle.

148S|ports

^

1

hearts pound as the Falcons win two more ans

1 Falcon

football

proved not to be for the faint hearted as they

fought

to

take

their

season

to 4-0 after beat-

ing both Utah Diego State. games

the

and San In

win

earned in

of

defense

The

nail-biting

Utah

the

hearts

game,

stopped

as

Utes and

although

offense did not

Carlton

Wood in

MacDonald

swatted

tion.

Wood's

a 23-yard field goal attempt by place

kick

made

Chris

kicker

Yergensen to secure 24-21 victory.

"I

told

coach

a

scoring posi 37-yard

(Cal McCombs) I could get in there from the right side (Utah's left)."

MacDonald said. "Ijust told Vergil (Simpson)

record to 3-0 and

maybe

would

cons a

case

when the Falcons

offense

came

back

to

life;

a

pitch to Antione Banks and an extra point by

remained

"It's

great win," DeBerry

a

coach Fisher said. "We're

tiny

a

on

des

to win the confer

ence."

Joe Wood tied the game

How else

can

it be

explained when sopho

at 21.

fullback

more

With the

help

of ClC Jason

Christ #1, ClC Joe Wood #2 kicks

State

Diego

and

first in the WAC.

progress" possessions, Falcon

big.

This wasn't to be the

21-20

the

them

give

break and win

to

"no

hope

call wins, that the Fal

beat San

perfection."

think

even

that after three close

that he had to open a me. It worked

some

score

helped Falcon's

the

bring

hole for

After

the

and

24-21

Fan's would

Mac

the

score a

touchdown, it put Joe

cornerback

down

once

shut down the

again

In the last minutes

both was

a

finish.

another

exceptionally goals.

of

his

accurate field

Joe

the in

Parisi

replaced jured starting full

back, and scores on his second

of his

carry

varsity career.

"I really wasn't thinking too much when I scored," Parisi said. "I

just happy opportunity."

A two point conver sion by Joe Wood after was

for the

Par isi's touchdown put the

icing

on

the cake.

The Falcon's 21-20 win

was

nitely Both

a

defi

most

team

effort.

Wayne Young

and Jason Jones scored a

touchdown and the

defense held SDSU to 218 offensive INSIDE LINEBACKERS:

Saxon YandeU, Coach Jim

Back: Chad Frazier, Mike

Grobe, Kette Dornbusch, Pat

Bergner, Mark Moody, Grant

Hopper. ZemiPhotgraphics,

Johnson, Kurt Keaton, Mike

Inc.

Black

Front: Jason

Dyer,

yards.

"I can't say enough about the pressure our

defense

DeBerry

on

this: We did

job

of

them,"

said. "I know a

lot better

tackling

this

week."

Utah/SDSU149

J'i^YU -

C2C Eldrick Hill jars the ball loose from

a

BYU receiver.

Unfortunately,

Falcons'

defenders did not do this

enough

as

the

Cougars

handed the Falcons another

setback.

C2C Tony Cates #99 and an unidentified teanunate bring a

Wyoming Cowboy to his during the big 51-28

knees

Falcons'

Pokes.

romp

over

the

L21-7

Wyoming W 51-28

^

alcons fall (again) BYU, '^ I^ bounce back against Wyoming to

~

What

a

difference

a

eek makes.

first loss of the

(2 1-7),

next

the

|C2C

the

Most

6 1 -yard

quarter

a

over

romp

streak.

wide

Scott Hufford, a

and

from Perez the

and The the

Wyoming Cowpokes.

seven

of

the

first

was a see-saw

scoreless

battle.

Cougars got into scoring column

1980

when

Detmer threw

a

first

since

of

next

game Falcons' winning

their

shutout

gave the Fal

snapped

The

yard

1 mark and it

also

board.

at the

line. On the final drive

one-yard

cons a 4-

fashion

fourth and two attempt

BYU talUed again on its

Cougars

strike scoring quarterback ClC Rob in

The loss to the BYU

period

avoided

season

week

receiver, hauls in

late in the first

on a

the Fal-

bounced back in

Icons resounding

Wyoming

51-28.

After suffering their to BYU

trounced

TD

possession a

run.

Ty

as

touch

down strike.

The

first

real

scoring opportu

nity

came

minutes the

with 8

1/2

remaining

in

half, but the chance

was

thwarted

the

when

they were stopped on a

half, Detmer

tossed another TD

for

Falcons

BYU six

tally

21-0 BYU advan

a

The

defense

held

BYU scoreless in the second

half but

the

Falcons' offense could

only

manage

seven

points

to

put

on

the

Antoine

Banks took a pitch and 16

scampered for

tage.

C2C

Falcons

yards

TD with 3:34

a

re

maining.

To help the Falcons get back on the win ning track against Wyoming, USAFA Su perintendent Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer told the

cadets, "If we

score

points, you can pass me up," (see photo on 45

page 46).

The

Falcons

promptly proceeded to score 5 1 points and the Superintendent held up his end of the bar

gain.

This game certainly turned out to be one of the wUdest games of the season. The Fal

points was the they scored 52 against Utah on 27 Oct 90. The 651 yards rushing ranked fourth on the Falcons' single game rushing list.

cons' 5 1

most since

ClC

Quarterback Rob Perez had

ban

a

afternoon tn the

ner

rout of

Wyoming.

He

became the 20th Fal con

,,H'

to reach the 1 ,000 mark

yard

For

reer.

Perez

for

a

ca

the

game, rushed and

passed for more than 100 yards tn each cat egory. He threw one TD pass and rushed

for three touchdowns.

Wide receiver C2C Scott Hufford had his finest The two

day as a Falcon. speedster caught passes

for

yards including yard TD strike Perez.

SENIOR LINE:

OFFENSIVE

Back:

Coach

Bob

Noblitt, Steed Lobotzke, Ron

Jeff Burdett, David Walt Rice.

Photographies,

James, Tom Maurer Front:

/*

-b

Ino.

Young,

UNDERCLASS

Front:

Zemi

OFFENSIVE LINE: Back:

Bob Noblitt,

Tony Meyer, Tad

Matt

Sholtis, Jim

Sinning, Remsey

Zemi

Troy Dunn, Coach Rob

Photgrapbics,

Nelson.

Inc.

This

100 a

61-

from

was

the

first time since 1989 that

a

Falcon had 100

receiving yards.

BYUAVy oming

151

tfJwt��j;4tH�;a�fi,?i >?

Navy W 46-6

,

Notre Dame L 28-17

A second

econd half sinks Navy; Irish claim victory huge 39-point half against

Navy

enabled the Fal

cons

to win the first

leg of the Commanderin-Chiefs Trophy. The very next week, in front of a national tele vision

audience, the

Notre Dame Irish turned into

ďż˝^

a

2 1 -6

Fighting a

7-6 lead

margin

in

a

cons.

The Falcons tinued nance

con

domi

their

service

over

academy teams by sinking Navy (46-6 at Annapolis) for the tenth consecutive time.

This win gave the Fal cons five straight vic tories

over

academy

their first two posses sions and Navy took the second

capped a 54yard drive with a oneyard dive for a 7-6 halftime lead.

In the second

service

second-half Navy tum-

to

turned the ball

turned

However, it

was a

over on

Halfback Obasi Onuoha runs

Fullback Jason Jones dives

against Notre Dame led by Wayne Young'sblocking.

for extra

yards

while

Walter Rice clears

half,

the defense forced five

foes.

overs

the Fal-

Obasi

CSC

Onuoha

slow start. The Falcons

over

a

half. Falcons' running back

2:10 span late in the first half and went on

victory

in for

one

Late in the first

score.

a

guard path.

and the offense this

into

ClC

points.

39

Jason

Jones crossed the

goal

line twice in the

sec

ond-half and back ClC

quarter Perez

Rob

hooked up with ClC Bobby Thomas for a 40-

yard scoring play.

Except for the key 2:10 span late in the

first half, the Falcons

proved they could play against the nation's No. 5 ranked team

ďż˝

Notre Dame.

With Notre Dame 7-6 late in the

leading first

half. Air Force

missed a go-ahead field

goal and the Irish came right back with an 83yard scoring strike.

QB

Falcons' fumbled

possession

Perez

the next

on

and Notre

Dame cashed in

a

short

time later for

a

21-6

lead.

As time

out

ran

in the first half. Fal cons'

placekicker

Joe Wood booted

yard field

goal

the halftime

ClC

a

58-

to make

score

21-

9.

In the second both

clubs

half,

scored

a

touchdown to make the

final

score

Notre

The Falcons' came

28-15

Dame's

in

favor.

only

from Jones

TD

on a

21-play, 91-yard drive in the final quarter.

Navy/Notre

Dame 153

Ni.

hance for Holiday Bowl berth crushed in loss to New Mexico Most wUl agree that

winning one out of two

answer

games isn't bad, but at the same time it wasn't

thing

what

and that

the

wanted

Falcons needed to

or

the

as

score

became 20-6.

"We needed

two

some

to

get us going put ahead by touchdowns,"

increase their chances for a Holiday Bowl in

Perez said. "It gave us a little breathing room

vitation.

and

The ninth and tenth

that

was

impor

tant."

games of the season saw the Falcons battle

able to score once more.

UTEP

Air

(University

of

Texas at El Paso) and the University of New Mexico. WhUe UTEP

Although UTEP was Force's

defense

executed well

big plays;

this

on

13, UNM pulled off

Falcon's record to 7-2.

a

vic

tory. comfort of Falcon Sta

coin

while

Air

Force made the

key

dium, Air Force did

plays against UTEP, the University of New

what

Mexico Lobos made the

center

David

Young called: ning ugly."

In the first

Air

Force's

Young

made

"win

as

he

short passes

only to lose it once

the last minute of the

With less than

game to win 34-32.

This loss stifled Air

more.

four minutes to Rob Perez

play, pitched to

intobig points. By half-

Antoine

time UNM lead 21-7,

scored. This

however

lowed

midway

by

Banks

a

who

was

two

fol

point

through the third quarter the Falcons were back on top 24-

conversion; the Fal

21.

ing just enough, the

wasn't

kicked

goal

The battle as

waged on

each team took the

cons

lead 32-31.

But

even

a

this show

field

Lobos in

Force's chance for

a

HoUday Bowl berth and brough

their

overall

record to 7-3.

Coach

Fisher

De-

Berry said: "Obvi ously, we had a chance to win the game. We

just

made too many

mistakes."

little

things

count and

beat the Falcons 34-

quarter

32.

Wayne 1-yard

up,"

a

touchdown after

a

1 5-

"The Uttle stuff adds

did

7-0 lead set the tone for

to win."

both team's offense;

ev

ery drive, pass and point would have to be eamed the hard way.

The Falcon defense

Carlton

MacDonald said.

play, 64-yard drive. This

spoiled

turned

Case

lead

On the other side of the

Playing UTEP in the

Stoney

stopping quarterback

the

with the offense's per formance brought the

34-32

time

coupled

feU to the Falcons 20-

shocking

tough Lobo

enough

"They

little stuff

The defense had

a

With CIC Kette Dornbusch #47 blocking, C2C Vergil Simpson #97 tries to squeeze through the UTEP defense.

of

many

UTEP's

scoring at tempts. They stopped two

of three

down

plays

fourth

and

recov

ered two fumbles.

"The turnovers

were

really important in the game," linebacker VergU Simpson said.

"The

fumbles

two

helped the momentum of the

game."

With the

score

in the fourth

13-6

quarter,

the Falcons worked to

increase their lead. A

76-yard

touchdown

pass from Rob Perez to Scott Hufford was the

TIGHT ENDS: Back: Brian

Front: Coach Dan Enga. Zemi

HeUinger, David Mott, Peter Wilkie, Joseph Lomabardi

Photographies,

Ino.

RECEIVERS:

Back:

Alex

Bobby Thomas, Coach Chuck

Kleckner, Clarence Hopkins, Scott Todd Hufford,

Peterson, Chase Peterson, Tom Thomsen.

Zemi

Schwarzenbach

Photographies,

Front

Inc.

Tight ends,

CIC David Mott

#89andC3C Brian

HeUinger

#82, make the hiton the UTEP runner

Falcon outside linebackers, ClC Rod Stephan #71 and C2C

VergU Simpson #97,

work to stop another play

UTEP/New Mexico 155

*rstttfMtJ^i.-iUifT,s>Mffi

'

t^" MBi'y W 25-atp^f ^

"

'i Hawaii W 24-J

"

.-**w!s*r*#-<

tf Aiw

C2C Carlton McDonald #3 and C2C

signal the

VergU Simpson

#97

another turnover for

Falcon

defense

as

teammate ClC Shanon Yates #25 clutches the football.

Army

tumed the baU over six times in the contest.

Defensive back, CIC Shanon Yates #25 makes field tackle. This

an

scene

open took

place quite often in the game as

the

Hawaii

galloped for rushing in the

Rainbows 340

yards

contest.

%,�5.

156 Sports

lot

hutout guarantees Falcons Liberty Bowl berth Army

and

Hawaii

fell prey to the Falcons as

Air Force beat both

teams

to

end

regular season. placed Air Force in the WAC with son

home

emies. In addition the

in each half. The first

49,203 fans the oppor

Falcons

came

tunity

to

see

Air Force

got

thetr third

Bowl

Liberty

invita

'^^r^^^^f

^^^B ^^H

in the first quar fullback

when

win the Commander-

tion.

Chris

This

in-Chief trophy for the

The game took on a one sided tone from the

yards

third a sea

game

third

straight year. prize is

This coveted

beginning

battled for between the

Shanon Yates

three

ered

military

acad

as

10-0. The second

safety recov

quarterback Rob Perez ran 1-yard to boost the

that

turned into field

goal

from Joe Wood.

It

the first of his

four for the game.

The defense mained

10-

the

tn the third when

points was

to

came

fumble

a

ran

make

Gray

score

to 19-0.

of the game from Wood's 43

points

came

and 47 yard field goals.

unstoppable.

Thetr three fumble

re

coveries and three in

alone gave the Falcons reason to celebrate but coach Fisher

tunities as well as caus

team because

ing

first

shutout 1977

game

since

against Wyo

ming.

Kette

Dornbusch

Com

the

Winning

mander-in-Chief trophy

terceptions gave the Falcons scoring oppor Air Force's

The fi

score

nal

re

added:

done

DeBerry "rmproudof our

what

we

have

other

no

academy has ever done.

And that shutout, it's

bigtime."

Despite

the

big

time

said that the defense's

win

word of the week

Falcons stUl had Ha

was

"shutout."

"We

thought

season.

about it all week. And lived

to it," up Dornbusch added.

The offense scored two

touchdowns,

one

At

first the game

looked to be as

FuUback, C2C Chris Gray #35, leaves the Army defense far behind him that CIC

Ron

James

doesn't

have

anyone to block.

one

sided,

in the first half Obasi

Onouha had

tion

1 6-yard

a

touchdown lowed

so

Army the

over

waii to face to close the

had

run

fol

by an intercep Carlton by

MacDonald which he ran

tn to make it 14-0.

By halftime how the

ever

closer

only

as

game was the Falcons

lead 17-14 fell be

hind 20- 1 7 in the third

period.

Thanks

play

to

tough

from both the de

fense and offense the Falcons

were

able to

secure a

24-20

victory

in the last minutes of the game.

"We've been

things like year," safety

u t^/^^^^

ter

their

record of 9-3.

The

against Army provided

Yates said. believe if

we

doing

this

all

Shanon

"We can

just stay

close we'll win in the SPECIALISTS: Back:

Doug

Downey, Joe Wood.

Chrisley, David Evans,

Jim Matt

Jason

MOB:

Back:

Christ, Coach BiUy Mitchell, Chris Maclnnis.

LYNCH

Zemi

HUl, Alex Armour, Antoine Banks, Bobby Thomas Front: Carlton McDonald,

Photographies,

Inc.

Clarence

Hopkins,

Eldrick

Troy Dunn, Jarvis Baker, Mike Rodgers, Vergil Zemi Simpson.

Photgrapbics,

Inc.

Liberty Bowl Memphis State W 38-15

158 Sports

round force

roughshod QUESTION: If you have 30,000 cowbells but have

make

a

to

no reason

ring them,

do

they

sound?

ANSWER: NOT!!!

aUESTION: At the 1991

Liberty Bowl,

Liberty Bowl champi onship game in Mem the Air phis, TN Force Academy Under dogs and the Missis sippi State University Bulldogs. ďż˝

For

the

what did the MSU fans

straight

do

cons

with

30,000

cowbells?

ANSWER: on

They

sat

them. Used them

as

dunce caps. Tried to sell them. Tried to give them away. Used them

plant holders (black roses). Caught their as

tears in them. Painted

them white with

a

bolt.

lightning ally put them cows

where

on

blue

Actu

their

they

be

long.

A couple of dogs got together for the 1991

second

year, the Fal the under

were

dogs heading into the Liberty Bowl Classic for

and

the

second

straight year, the Fal cons thumped their higher ranked and fa vored opponent.

The Falcons

came

thundering from the gate and proceeded to silence

cowbeUs

MSU

the en

route to the

lopsided 38-15 victory.

The win gave the Fal cons

a

10-3

record and

season

25th

(AP) (UPI) rank ing in the final polls. It a

and 24th State

Mississippi quarterback William "Sleepy" Robinson gets drilled by linebacker, C2C Vergil Simpson. The Falcon defense put this kind of pressure on the Bulldog signal caller throughout the contest.

runs

MSU

over in AFA

son

history.

The romp

over

the

Bulldogs was the veri table "complete game" victory for the Falcons. dominated

AFA

all

three phases of the con test

offense, defense

ďż˝

and the

game. He said: "Gentle men, I'm at a loss for

words," and then pro ceeded to talk for ten minutes before anyone could ask a question.

"I can't say enough our football

about

DeBerry said. just can't under

team,

kicking game. throttling MSU's first possession

"You

of the game, the Fal cons took the controls

game was won back tn Colorado Springs dur

and

ing the pre-game preparations."

After

looked back.

never

The

Dogs

scored late

in the second stanza to

make the

score

21-7 at

half.

estimate a Falcon. This

For

back ClC

In the second half,

was

Rob

named the

Bowl MVP and the AFA

dominance

offensive player-of-the-

AFA

game.

Yates

prevailed. put the game

away when the Falcons totally bamboozled the

Bulldogs with verse play. C2C Hufford

got

the MSU 31

a

re

Scott

the ball at

yard

line

cons'

was

top

We

were

faster

sides

that

the

into the Dogs' end zone.

scrimmage.

cracked

the

Head coach Fisher

only

DeBerry was on cloud nine following the

Falcons

top

25 and it

was

the third 10- win

sea

the Fal

defensive

player. He said: "The key ingredient for us tn this win was speed.

and cruised untouched

1985

Perez

Liberty

the Falcons' incessant

marked the first time

since

second

the

straight year, quarter

on

both

of the line It

was

of a

great way to finish my career."

Liberty

Bowl 159