COMMUNITY COLLEGE NOTEBOOK / STEVE KRESAL : Cypress’ Krauss Faces Big Challenges

Although he was a starting forward all last season at Cypress College, Jason Krauss was easy to miss.

Krauss, who is 6 feet 5, was the closest thing Cypress had to a center. Because of this, he regularly guarded the opposition’s biggest player.

Some games, he gave up only a few inches but other times he took on players five or six inches taller than him.

But in an odd way, Krauss found the experience freeing.

“I knew I was going to play no matter what,” he said. “I had nothing to lose. I would get flung around sometimes, but I was excited because it was a challenge every night.”

Krauss improved as the season progressed and averaged 11 points and six rebounds in the second half of the season.

Besides winning the team’s most improved award, Krauss gained a measure of confidence that has helped him excel this season.

Although the Chargers (7-7) have struggled to play consistently thus far, Krauss has been performing well. He is averaging a team-high 18 points and shooting 53%. He is also averaging four rebounds.

“He’s had some outstanding games for us,” Cypress Coach Paul Bottiaux said. “He’s fine as long as he doesn’t try to do too much.”

Krauss grew up playing mostly soccer, but when he got to Orange High he decided he would give basketball a try.

He, along with Cypress teammates David Neal and Gil Gonzales, helped Orange’s freshman team to a perfect record. The next season, Krauss expected to move up to varsity but instead was placed on the junior varsity team.

He started, but Krauss felt snubbed.

“I had the worst attitude as a sophomore,” he said. “I remember coming into the gym sometimes and they would just tell me to start to run.”

Krauss made it through his sophomore season knowing he would be playing varsity basketball the next season.

Only thing is, he didn’t.

While going up for a dunk during in the summer of 1992, Krauss felt a twinge in his back. The pain wasn’t devastating, but it lingered.

He finally had his back examined in the fall and learned that he had fractured a bone in the lumbar region of his back. Krauss was advised to take a year off but considered playing because he had no pain when he walked and only slight discomfort when he played.

But he was told by doctors that if the injury didn’t heal correctly, he risked injuring his back permanently.

“That’s what finally did it,” he said. “Thinking about what to do caused some sleepless nights.”

Krauss went to practice and games and eased the frustration by becoming a student of the game.

“I really matured a lot because I saw things from a coach’s point of view for the first time,” he said. “It was hard, but I finally grew up.”

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Football commitments: Fullerton running back Mike Jacot and Rancho Santiago offensive lineman George Arceo head the list of players who have signed with four-year colleges.

Jacot, who rushed for 1,530 yards and 19 touchdowns in two seasons, is going to Oregon State. Arceo, an All-Mission Conference pick, is headed for Oklahoma State.

Two Orange Coast players also signed. Matt Salk, a sophomore quarterback, is going to Texas Christian and defensive lineman Steve Tafu is headed for Arizona.

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More signings: Two standout Cypress athletes from last spring have signed with four-year colleges.

Brian Ricketts, who won the individual title at the state golf tournament last spring, is going to Cal State San Bernardino. Ricketts is from Alhambra High.

Debbie Goddu, a pitcher on the softball team, will pass up her sophomore season and has signed with Nicholls State in Thibodaux, La. She will start there in January.

Goddu, who is from Whittier Christian, was 18-4 with an 0.37 earned-run average for the Chargers last spring.