1954 Northern California Intercollegiate Soccer Conference Champions
Head Coach: Gus Donoghue
Overall Record: 10-1-1 NCISC Record: 9-1-0
All-NCISC Team: George Durschlag, Roberto Kellerman, Hector Lamas, Abe Mordokovics,
USF Hall-of-Famers: Robert Braghetta, George Durschlag Roberto Kellerman, Gus Donaghue
The 1954 season had been designated as a “rebuilding year” on the Hilltop, but thirty eager, determined Dons proved the prognosticators wrong. Coach Gus Donaghue praised his team’s never-say-die attitude, “The spirit to come from behind was well exemplified in our first game of the year against City College, when we were behind 4-0 and recovered enough to almost win.”
Though their 56-game winning streak in conference play was snapped by San Francisco City College in that first game – a bitter 5-4 loss for USF - it would be the only defeat of the season, as Coach Donoghue’s troops went 10-0-1 over the final 11 games, and in the process won their seventh straight Northern California Intercollegiate Soccer Conference title.
USF gained revenge against City College - beating the Rams 2-1 in the NCISC Championship game. The Dons then finished off the season with a 3-1 victory in Los Angeles over UCLA to capture the Far West Soccer Championship. Four players were named to the All-Conference team - George Durschlag, Roberto Kellerman, Hector Lamas and Abe Mordokovics.
Did You Know? The 1954 Dons were the “comeback kids” as they came from behind several times in games over the course of the campaign. The trend started in the first game of the season when the Dons fell behind City College of San Francisco 4-0, yet came back to tie the game 4-4, before falling 5-4. Later in the campaign, the Dons came from two goals down to beat Santa Clara, and in the league championship game rematch against City College, the Dons trailed 1-0 with six minutes remaining, but still triumphed 2-1.
They Said It: "In spirit and the ability to come from behind, I would say this season's team was the finest team we ever had at USF,” noted USF Head Coach Gus Donoghue. “This year’s group of men was also as well-balanced a club as we’ve ever had at the University.”
