THE HIGH SCHOOLS : Pregame Stone Age Costume Inspires Washington Nickname

The ever-unassuming, yet often spectacular Brett Washington has been a player in dire need of a nickname for a season and a half. Friday night, Washington might have earned one, although if it sticks it’s a safe bet that he’ll turn 100 shades of red every time he hears it.

Washington, a soft-spoken two-year starter at Granada Hills, was recently chosen the junior class homecoming king. At Friday night’s ceremonies, Washington was crowned, if you will.

As far as anyone could tell, the pregame parade around the football field had a Fred Flintstone, back-to-the-Stone Age theme. According to Highlander co-Coach Darryl Stroh, Washington was dressed as Bam-Bam and was accompanied during the festivities by a barefoot female student dressed as Pebbles.

“He was Bam-Bam long before this,” Stroh cracked as he watched the proceedings.

Indeed, Washington has been the Highlanders’ biggest impact player, a veritable rock as a starter at fullback and linebacker, the team’s only full-time, two-way player. His durability and running style--Washington, as often as not, runs over defenders instead of around them--make the moniker a perfect one. Hammer, Tank or Major Kitchen Appliance would also work, but somehow lack the catchy alliteration.

But here’s the embarrassing part: Washington’s homecoming garb consisted mainly of his uniform jersey and pants, but he was being taxied around the track in a tiny, horse-drawn buggy that was barely big enough for two people to sit in. The horse , and use of this term definitely constitutes extreme editorial license, was actually a 3-foot-tall, miniature pony.

“Did you see the look on that horse’s face when he got out of the cart?” Stroh said in reference to Washington’s not-so-svelte, 5-foot-10, 210-pound build. “It was like, ‘Whew.’ ”

Relief was Washington’s general reaction when the parade finally ended, since he and his female counterpart were asked to model a different kind of crown during the event. Like the arrow that comedian Steve Martin used to wear on (and through) his head, the pair each modeled a huge plastic bone, which looked more like a set of white antlers. Washington also wielded a make-believe wooden club.

Washington, as usual, then proceeded to whack Cleveland upside the noggin in Granada Hills’ 27-13 victory. He rushed for a game-high 58 yards and helped limit Cleveland’s offense to three first downs in the second half as the Highlanders (7-0, 4-0 in Northwest Valley Conference play) remained in a tie with San Fernando for first place.

Bad to the bone? You bet. Washington has rushed for 741 yards in only 87 carries (8.5 average) and scored 10 touchdowns.

Add Granada Hills: The Highlanders, ranked No. 1 in the Valley by The Times, seem to be improving each time out--they have outscored the opposition, 169-32, over the past five games--and Bryan Martin is leading the way.

Against Cleveland, the junior quarterback passed for 246 yards, a two-year high for the Highlanders. Martin completed 13 of 15 passes and drew unabashed praise from the sometimes tight-lipped Stroh.

“Everybody wants to know how good he is compared to so and so,” said Stroh, in reference to the distinguished line of successful passers that Granada Hills has produced. “And I don’t really know the answer to that. But I do know that most kids are judged by what they can’t do . . . and his potential is basically unlimited.”

Martin passed for three touchdowns and scored on a one-yard sneak, but it was the array of aerial darts that was the most impressive. Martin threw a 54-yard scoring bomb that William Moringlane caught in stride, a 33-yard fade pass to Jermaine Love, a pair of perfect deep-out patterns and also connected with the Highlander favorite, a medium-length crossing pattern to tight end Charles Carpenter that was good for 32 yards.

Gale forces: They call themselves the Bermuda Triangle, a place where running backs and quarterbacks go in but don’t come out. At least not in the same shape as when they entered.

They are Thousand Oaks’ defensive ends Nick Ochoa and Bassam Kneizeh and middle linebacker Lance Martin. The trio are among a corps of defensive players who have been consistently solid and, at times, sensational.

In Friday night’s 25-0 whipping of Westlake, the Lancers sacked Westlake quarterback Todd Preston seven times.

Kneizeh had three and Ochoa had another, bringing his total to 17. The Westlake running game lost 26 yards. Of the Warriors’ nine first downs, six came through the air and three came via penalties.

And the defensive carnage was hardly an isolated incident. The shutout was Thousand Oaks’ fourth, breaking a school record set in 1977 and equaled in 1978.

The Lancers, who are 7-0-1 and ranked second in the Valley by The Times, have allowed one rushing touchdown and are holding opponents to 23.4 yards rushing a game.

Youth is served: Crespi’s Cody Smith turned 15 two weeks ago, making him eligible to play for the varsity. Smith replaced Bill Canalez as the starting quarterback Thursday in the Celts’ 10-7 victory over St. John Bosco, and he completed eight of 17 passes for 80 yards, including a 17-yard timing pattern on the last play of the third quarter to Zach Rayner for the game-winning touchdown.

Canalez, a junior who has completed 74 of 137 passes (54%) for 695 yards, was given the option by Coach Tim Lins to back up Smith or run drills with the receivers. Figuring his chances for playing time were better as a receiver, Canalez began running routes.

Monday was a rough day.

“The whole day during school I was upset,” Canalez said Saturday, still speaking in a subdued tone. “When I went out on the field . . . it was real strange not throwing the ball, but catching it.”

Canalez caught on, however, and found a couple of seams in the St. John Bosco defense, grabbing two passes for 18 yards. He also kicked a 31-yard field goal and an extra point. So maybe this receiver gig isn’t that bad after all?

“It was much easier,” he said. “There was almost no pressure at all compared to playing quarterback. I had a good time, but I enjoy quarterback more.”