August 25, 1997
No. 12 Bears Open Season at Home vs. UC Davis
This Week: Saturday, Aug. 30 UC Davis Witter Field 4 p.m.
Bears Open Season at Home: After finishing the 1996 season with a 12-7-2 overall record, the California men's soccer team opens the season at home, playing host to UC Davis at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30. The Bears enter play with a No. 12 preseason ranking by Soccer America.
Exhibition vs SF Bay Seals: The Cal men's soccer team kicked off its season last Saturday at
home by defeating the San Francisco Bay Seals reserve team in an exhibition game by a score of 5-0. Freshman midfielder Ramiro Arrendondo (Redwood City/Woodside Priory) had an impressive start, leading all scorers with two goals and two assists. Sophomore Derrick Dyslin (La Canada/University of Richmond) also got into the action, scoring on a header off a corner kick by Arrendondo. The Bears other two goals were scored by senior Adam Hunter (Bloomfield Hills, MI/Detroit County Day) and sophomore Justin Bell (Manhattan Beach/Loyola HS). Noteworthy defensive performances were put in by sophomores Tim Castillo (East Point, MI/Detroit County Day), Chris Sawicki (Northridge/La Canada HS) and goalkeeper Doug Brooks (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury HS).
Top Returners: The Bears return 16 letterwinners, including 10 starters from last season's team that took first place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's Mountain Division. The returning starters are: seniors-- midfielder Mike Haralambakis (Sacramento/Jesuit HS), forward Adam Hunter and midfielder Jason Young (Sacramento/Jesuit HS), juniors-- forward Ryan Fitzpatrick (Redmond, WA/Redmond HS), midfielder Brandon Moggio (Northville, MI/Detroit County Day) and forward Matt Newmark (Manhattan Beach/Brentwood HS), and sophomores-- goalkeeper Doug Brooks, defender Tim Castillo, midfielder J.V. Ganal (Los Gatos/Bellarmine Prep) and sweeper Chris Sawicki.
Newcomers to Watch: This year's recruits add speed, technical ability and balance to the team. Midfielder John Beck (Fredericksberg, VA/Brown University) and defender Derrick Dyslin are transfers to Cal and have secured starting positions on the field. Incoming freshmen who have the ability to earn starting slots are defender Ramiro Arrendondo, forward Austin Ripmaster (Boulder, CO/Alexander Dawson HS), defender Seth Simchowitz (Laguna Beach/Laguna Beach HS) and midfielder Kendall Simmonds (Simi Valley/Royal HS).
Brooks Solid in Goal: All-American candidate Doug Brooks returns for his sophomore season as the starting goalkeeper for the Bears. The National Collegiate Freshman Goalkeeper of the Year and first team All-MPSF selection, Brooks collected 72 saves and allowed only 31 goals, while starting all 21 games for Cal last season. He also had six shutouts, including a notable performance in a victory over Washington, which ended the year ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Beck and Dyslin Join Squad: Junior John Beck transfers to Cal from Brown, where he was an All-Ivy League first team selection in 1995. Beck joins the Bears after a one-year hiatus from school and soccer. He is an attacking midfielder who has already secured a slot in the starting rotation. Sophomore transfer Derrick Dyslin (Richmond) is a former Parade All-American and California Player of the Year. He rejoins La Canada HS teammates Chap Early (Los Angeles/La Canada HS) and Chris Sawicki on the Cal team.
About UC Davis: The Aggies were 8-8-2 in 1996, 7-5-2 (T4th) in the Northern California Athletic Conference. UC Davis is led by first-year head coach Dwayne Shaffer, who has a career record of 7-10-1. Top returnees include senior Demian Ludington, a second team all-region selection, who was a starter in all 18 contests as a defender last year. In addition, senior midfielder Felipe Restrepo, a second team All-NCAC selection, returns for the Aggies. The Bears defeated the Aggies last season, 3-2, on a game-winner by J.V. Ganal three minutes into the overtime period.
The Coaches: Head coach Mark Mallon returns for his fifth season at the helm for the Bears with a school and career record of 31-39-7. Last season, Mallon guided Cal to its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1986. He is joined for the third year by assistant coach Lyle Yorks, a former All-American at the University of Virginia.
