By Omar Ureña

  The first practice of the 1991 season was in yellow shorts, a black T-shirt and, as usual, with the shiny black helmets with the white circle and the stoic and impeccable C and U.  Coach Diego García Miravete called the team to break up and said: “This is the first time we break … what will be the last time we do it?”, “After winning the final coach !!”  The voice of Alejandro ‘Bosworth’ Vallarino, 2nd year guard was heard.  Vallarino and Roberto Aparicio, both sophomore centers, came to spring camp with bench press highs of 150 kg.  and 170 kg, respectively. One hundred and seventy freshmen were testing with the idea of ​​being part of the Condors and history.  After an arduous selection process in a year that looked great, coming from a long-awaited championship in 1990, the hazing directed by captain Ricardo “el Teco” Sandoval was taking place after a sunny practice where the hitting was really intense for two hours  then the sun settled on the reddened torsos of the new condors who were hit with flip-flops while in the distance the ‘Goyas’ cheers from the Olympic Stadium were heard when the soccer final between Pumas and América was played.  Later, while the freshmen were locked in the cistern, the dark clouds descended to the scene. It was raining in University City and the freshmen marched one by one on the 10-meter platform looking down first at the Puma inscribed in the diving pool and then, from the front, the School of Architecture.

The Cóndores stood in the contemplation and magnificence of celestial beings and unbridled spirits typical of a clan in pursuit of victory, they knew it was a special caste.  They reached the pinnacle of their career in college football: Eduardo “Zeus” González, Diego García de la Cadena, Rafael “Fay” Suárez, Enrique Zapata, Javier Olvera and Ricardo “Teco” Sandoval.  The first game was at the Estadio Olímpico in C.U.  before the Centinelas of the Presidential Guard Corps commanded by Horacio Nava (LB), Ricardo “Tirruz” Bravo (QB) and the ostentatious holder of innumerable college football records, Pepé Toño Moreno (RB), all of them athletes trained in the gym by José Roberto Espinosa.  Cloudy and rough afternoon in University City.  The echo of voices spattered with steam that came from the shoulder pads between the heat of the bodies and the afternoon coolness.  The Cóndores offensive line made it clear that they wanted to be the best in Mexico under the command of coaches Martín Acevedo and Angel Rosales.  The Cóndores beat the Centinelas 22-7.

  In the second week came the imminent clash against the Águilas Blancas and the revenge for the Licea team from last year’s final.  It was a sunny afternoon on the then beautiful grass of the Wilfrido Massieu Stadium field and the Cóndores arrived to the gridiron with energy that overwhelmed all their players.  It was a game in which the passes of Eduardo González (13) were seen as rifles that crossed the sky of Zacatenco which Diego García de la Cadena (85) descended in the end zone. The Cóndores once again won the duel in the trenches.  Roberto ‘Milton’ Aparicio moved Carlos “Elefante” Méndez and in direct runs and short traps Miguel “Chavito” Barrios (72) and Rafael “Suadero” Fuentes (54) made the blocking angles.  In defense, the Cóndores looked insurmountable with Luis Ocaris (31), Marco López, Javier Olvera (50) and Gerardo Orellana (45).  The Cóndores beat the Águilas Blancas 12-7.

  In the following weeks they defeated the ENEP Acatlan Osos 21-16, the UANL Tigres 45-7, the Cherokees 35-0, the Águilas Reales 44-27 and the UAM Panteras 17-0. The sixth game was coming and the Cóndores were heading to play in Monterrey, a night game that was expected to be magnificent and that is how it turned out.  The Tec Borregos with their stars Ricky Vela and Mike Elizondo looked favorites before a grand entrance at the Tecnológico de Monterrey Stadium.  The game was broadcast on Radio ACIR in Mexico City.  The dynamic duo, Luis Araiza (34) and Alejandro “El Babe” Lara (33), gave the Cóndores a boost and the defense broke their souls with Alejandro Barrios (30), Luis Ocaris (31), Germán García Sánchez (26), Marco López (40), Enrique Zapata (91), Guillermo Villalpando (28) and Gerardo Ordóñez (90).  It was the game of the year for both of them.  The Borregos Salvajes arrived with 5 games won and 0 lost.  The game was tight, tough and very physical.

  Marco Antonio Palomino (20) escaped and in an impressive way “the saeta” evaded the ‘regios’ with agile movements of legs and hips.  The 76-yard return kick for a Cóndores touchdown and a missed field goal by Monterrey Tech would define the course of a cardiac game that ended in favor of the Pedregal team.  Cóndores beat the Borregos 29-27.

  The following week the black and golden team took care of the White Polytechnic by 14-13 and a week later they were hosting the semifinal in Ciudad Universitaria. The UANL Tigers arrived with their own merits and the efforts of their leaders Mauro and Mike Cervantes, brothers with a voracious and destructive attack.  Cloudy afternoon at the Estadio Olímpico de C.U.  Muddy grass, slow plays, hard shots that echoed throughout the stadium.  Traces of the mud showed on the Cóndores yellow pants and the Auténticos Tigres white jersey.  The Cóndores were advancing but did not score points.  In the last drive by the Tigres the courage was drained on the grass.  On fourth down, the Tigres were about to attempt the 26-yard field goal that would set the UANL victory.  The hearts of the Cóndores fans stopped for a moment but suddenly the hand of Mauricio García de la Cadena (13) deflected the ball and his saving action put the Cóndores in the 1991 final.

  The final began at 4 in the afternoon on November 23 with a spectacular full house in Ciudad Universitaria. The attendance was 70,000 fans.  The Cóndores were more than lit by a spectacular and colorful setting.  The Cóndores wore their classic black and gold uniform and the Borregos Salvajes wore silver bottoms and white jerseys with blue numbers.  The revenge of the Borregos seemed to fail with the powerful air attack of the Cóndores that executed accurate passes from “Zeus” and unforgettable catches by Diego García de la Cadena, Angel Medina (43), Guillermo García (80), Erick Olevra (82)  and Felipe Ledezma (81). 

On defense Luis Ocaris, Alejandro Barrios, Julián Ruiz (23) covered the passes perfectly.  Salvador Kamffer (97) replaced Gerardo Ordóñez who suffered from hepatitis.  The “güera” Kamffer played in the best of the scenarios alongside his great friend from the Frailes, Ricardo “El Teco” Sandoval, who did not stop tackling and hitting the Borregos QB, Jaime Urquidi.

  The “Teco” was not only intimidating because he was 1.90 m tall, but also because of his hunger to tackle like wild, just as coach Rojí had instructed him.  His aggressiveness was reflected that day on the sunny grass of the Estadio Olímpico with a wild and overwhelming defense.  The # 95 of Cóndor lineage who has already transcended magical and eternal places such as the corner from where he now observes us, beyond these dimensions, the last champion captain and one of the most fierce and intense players that the Cóndores ever had, he was dedicated in the gym with his veins about to burst carrying the weight of his team to whom he gave everything for their gold and black colors, those who reigned for the last time the actions that afternoon.  The Cóndores defense dominated Monterrey Tech in the 1991 ONEFA Championship game.

The offensive with blocks by Roberto Aparicio, Rafael Fuentes, Marcel Medrano (57), Iván López (78) and Miguel Barrios opened the gaps that were followed by the powerful runs by Rafael “Fay” Suárez, Alejandro “El Bebé” Lara and Luis Araiza.  The night descended when the Cóndores closed a season of greatness and bravery, the last championship that the Cóndores obtained in their history.  The Ciudad Universitaria Olympic stadium was packed, lights, helicopters, a great football party and the crowded bleachers eager to light the torches as in the old days.  The Cóndor legion among the crowd and the media raised the golden ball and were crowned two-time national champions by defeating the ‘Borregos Salvajes del Tec de Monterrey’ 41-16.  ‘Los Cóndores de la UNAM’  were the masters and owners of college football in Mexico, simply the best.