1983 NAIA National Soccer Championships

Quincy and D & E squared off in the 1970 and 1970 title games in North Carolina as the intersectional rivalry was to continue through the 70s. In fact, it's still going on as the Hawks played both D & E and Alderson-Broaddus this fall on a trek to West Virginia. With the eight-team format, new schools and new energetic coaches and athletic directors moved into key roles. West Coast teams were heard from and Westmont College of Santa Barbara, Calif, was in the Nationals for the fifth straight time when it won the 1972 championship. Tournament planners chose to give the Midwest another try in 1973, but conditions in the St. Lousi suburb of Florissant, Mo., were bitterly cold and wet. Quincy regained the winning habit with a title match conquest of Rockhurst, a team the Hawks have topped three times in the finals. The school from Kansas City was also in the title match in the Rose Bowl in 76 when Simon Fraser won the first of its two big trophies. Just to see if conditions might improve, the finals were played in Florissant again in 1974 -- and this time snow blended with rain and wind. The showdown encounter was another clash between old rivals with Quincy drowning Davis & Elkins, 6-0. The Hawks made it three straight in 1975 at Raleigh, N.C., and that title game between QC and Simon Fraser ranks as none of the best and most closely contested championship duels ever. Emilio John, the Hawk All-America, flicked in a shot from the left wing position with just 25 seconds remaining to produce the 1-0 QC victory over Coach John Buchanan's newcomers from Canada. That was the first appearance for Simon Fraser, which had earlier made a splash in the NAIA by winning several swim titles. The Clansmen, who won here a year ago, took their first title in 1977 with the 1-0 win over Rockhurst before about 7,000 in the 104,000-seat Rose Bowl. But, aside from the setting, the 76 finals were an anticlimax to the Thanksgiving night -- and Friday morning -- semifinals between Simon Fraser and Quincy. That one went into the 13th overtime, consuming 221 minutes and 43 seconds before the Canadian team squeezed out a 2-1 victory. It ended minutes before 1 a.m. in California. Back in Quincy it was going on 3 a.m. with many fans listening to the play- by-play radio broadcast. Losing the marathon didn't deflate the Hawk program, however, for Mackenzie's kickers stormed back to win five consecutive championships -- in 1977 and 78 at Huntsville, Ala., and the following three years 100 miles from home at Sangamon State in Springfield, III. Weather was fickle in Springfield, too, with the three tournaments experiencing more than a fair share of rain, cold and snow. Snowplows cleared the fiels for play prior to the 1980 tournament. Hawk finals wins at Huntsville were over Keene State (N.H.) and host Alabama-Huntsville. In Springfield, QC won its championship banners at the expense of Rockhurst, Simon Fraser and Alderson-Broaddus. The tourneys at Sangamon State were the first with more than eight teams. Spots were provided for the highest ranked team losing out in the pre-Nationals playoffs and for the host team. Then, a format change provided for 11 areas and the host team. Last season, a month or so prior to the Nationals in Wichita Falls, Midwestern State athletic director Gerald Stockton was asked about the sort of weather tournament teams and visitors might expect. “Oh, it's pretty nice down here," he responded, "but it can be 80 degrees one day and drop to 30 overnight." Well, he was right on the mark, for spectators who picked up suntans on Sunday and Monday had to wrap in heavy coats and blankets as second-day matches were contested in frigid, windy, 30-degree conditions. Belhaven (Miss.), though outdone in statistics, upset Quincy's dream of a sixth straight championship. The title match went to Simon Fraser over host Midwestern State. This 25th Nationals might well be dedicated to the early planners. Their dreams have been realized as the event has continued to grow in prestige, and through the memorable quarter-century soccer steadily increased in popularity. Jim Egli of Slippery Rock, Fran Tripp from Southeastern Massachusetts, Ed Norman of Biola (Calif.) University, Charlie Matlack of Earlham, Frank Longo of Quincy College, Steve Cay of Westmont and Nicholas Lefko of Pfeiffer (N.C.) College are but a few of the kingpins in that growth. They are members of the NAIA Soccer Hall of Fame. And if there should be any doubt about Quincy College's domination since 1966, consider the fact that all five of the Hall of Famers inducted for their feats as players are former QC Hawks. They are Sam Bick and Jim Pollihan, who have had long careers in pro leagues; Edmundo Camacho, Al Harte and Mike Villa. Villa's 94 goals are a career high for a collegian at any level of competition. Quincy far exceeds all other schools in National Tournament victories with a 41-5 record with 11 first, two seconds and a pair of thirds. Defending champion Simon Fraser is 18-6 and has two championships, two seconds and a third. Davis & Elkins' 22-11 slate includes two championships, three runner-up finishes, three thirds and two fourths. - 20 -