In This Draft, Sockers Stick to Talent They See

The Sockers on Wednesday showed they do learn from past mistakes, choosing four players in the MSL’s annual draft who were on hand for the showcase game in Kansas City the night before.

Last year, the Sockers spent their first two picks on players not present at the showcase. One, Marcelo Balboa, never signed, and the other, Eddie Henderson, proved less than advertised and was cut.

Wednesday’s four picks were:

--Tom Loeber, 23, a defender from the University of South Carolina, chosen eighth overall.

Loeber had two assists and was named defensive star of the showcase game. He is the only Sockers’ selection who has graduated and will be available immediately.

Loeber was a first-team All-American as a senior, was named to Soccer America’s top 10 as a junior, and was a freshman All-American in 1986.

One other note: Loeber grew up in Dallas’ youth soccer leagues, a system that Sockers Coach Ron Newman pioneered more than 20 years ago.

--Doug Borgel, 21, a forward from Nevada-Las Vegas, chosen 16th.

Borgel scored two goals in the showcase game, which may not have been a fluke. He scored 43 in four years at UNLV. He is also a member of the under-23 national team which will represent the United States in the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Borgel grew up in San Jose where he played at Santa Teresa High, earning All-American honors as a senior in 1987.

--Darrell Williams, 21, a defender from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Mo., chosen 24th.

Williams, a Kansas City native, will be cast as a defensive runner. He earned NAIA All-American honors his junior and senior seasons.

Remember, Newman has had particular success bringing players into the league as defensive runners. That’s where Paul Wright first played and where Wes Wade has become known as one of the best young players in the league.

--Kirk Ferguson, 22, a forward from UCLA, chosen 32nd.

Ferguson was an unknown at UCLA when he walked on in 1987. Nearly four years later, he was an unknown going into the showcase game. The only UCLA player anyone had heard of was Billy Thompson, who went to Kansas City with the 14th pick.

But “Thompson was pretty much over-shadowed by this young Kirk” in the game, according to Newman.

Ferguson, from Honolulu, scored one goal during the showcase game.

Both Newman and Erich Geyer, Sockers assistant coach, said it is too early to determine whether their draftees can play in the MSL.

“There’s no way of telling what we actually got,” Newman said. “Last year when we got David Banks (with their third pick), we weren’t ecstatic. We were pleased, but not ecstatic. Now we’re ecstatic that we got David Banks.”

Banks, who did participate in last year’s showcase, has become a force on the Sockers back line and a candidate for Rookie of the Year.

Partially because of Banks’ success, the Sockers changed their draft philosophy and decided to forgo players recommended to them who did not participate in the showcase game, such as Balboa and Henderson.

Newman figures the players who were on hand have more ambition to play indoor.

“And it’s only fair to the lads who are here trying so very hard to be seen,” he said.

MSL Notes

Trong Nguyen, a defender from USD, was drafted with the first pick in the fourth round by Wichita. . . . Wichita used the first pick of the draft on Mark Santel, a midfielder from St. Louis University. . . . For the first time, no goalkeeper was taken in the draft. . . .

The MSL announced its second major marketing agreement in as many days. World Soccer Promotions Inc. has come on board to produce MSL trading cards. Ellen Erhman, MSL director of marketing, said the league will collect royalties of “six figures” per year until the contract expires in the summer of 1994. From those “six figures,” each team is expected to collect $15,000 this season. The company said it plans a first run of 26 million cards that will become available in April.