PREP FOOTBALL ’91 : South Coast League

Capistrano Valley

1990 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 12-2 3-2 COACH RECORD AT SCHOOL Eric Patton 30-8 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 7 5 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Jake Blair, 6-3, 205 OG -- Sr. Aaron Brown, 6-0, 190 -- LB Sr. Steve Ford, 6-1, 205 OT -- Sr. Charlie Grigas, 5-10, 195 -- DL Sr. Ray Hibbs, 5-11, 185 -- LB Sr. Dave Laszewski, 5-11, 200 -- DL Sr. Mike Le Grand, 6-3, 215 OG -- Sr. Scott Patton, 6-1, 190 QB -- Sr. Allan Perlas, 5-9, 190 RB -- Sr. Tim Plewe, 6-3, 225 C -- Jr. Blake Spence, 6-4, 195 TE -- Sr. Dan West, 6-3, 215 -- LB Sr. TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Chris Baker, 5-9, 155 WR -- Sr. Shawn Boland, 6-0, 175 RB -- Sr. Jack Connors, 6-0, 175 WR -- Sr. Scott Davis, 6-3, 300 OL -- Sr. Don Duckworth, 5-10, 170 -- DB Sr. Jon Leviste, 6-4, 180 WR DB Sr. Greg Payne, 6-0, 180 -- DB Jr.

OUTLOOK

Eric Patton lists the Cougars’ primary strength as returning starters at offensive line, running back, tight end, defensive line and linebacker from last year’s Division II championship team. Sounds pretty good, right? Nope. Patton projects a third-place league finish this season. The Division II preseason poll has Capistrano Valley fourth, mainly because of all those players back from last season’s title team. Among the best of the best are Patton, the coach’s son, who moved to quarterback from running back, West, a two-year starter who was all-leaguer both ways last season, and Perlas.

Dana Hills

1990 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 4-5-1 1-4 COACH RECORD AT SCHOOL Don Douglass 37-50-2 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 4 4 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Nurcan Ciftickara, 6-0, 270 OT -- Sr. Al Diaz, 6-5, 260 OT -- Sr. David Erickson, 6-4, 220 -- LB Sr. Tom Faudrae, 6-4, 230 -- DT Sr. Josh Hadley, 6-2, 220 -- DE Sr. Roger Hein, 6-0, 185 -- SS Sr. Marcus Jenkins, 5-11, 180 TB CB Sr. Nick Nosek, 5-11, 205 RB LB Sr. Eddie Valasco, 6-0, 190 OG -- Sr. TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Scott Covington, 6-0, 180 QB -- So. Justin Harrison, 5-10, 205 RB LB Jr. Robert Meeker, 6-2, 220 -- DE Jr. Mike Whittaker, 5-9, 155 WR -- So.

OUTLOOK

Optimism is high at Dana Hills. Twenty-six lettermen, including eight starters, are back from last season’s team. The Dolphins have some big boys in the trenches. And the league seems to be more balanced than in past seasons. All of which makes Douglass believe Dana Hills is in the running for a playoff berth. History would appear to be going against the Dolphins, who haven’t finished higher than fourth place and had only one winning league record in the past six seasons. They were 4-2 in 1985 when the South Coast League had seven members, but only 8-17 since then. Douglass likes Jenkins, an all-leaguer in 1990. Erickson and Nosek form a tough tandem at linebacker. Ciftickara and Diaz are two imposing linemen. Douglass will go with a sophomore, Covington, at quarterback, but it looks as if Ciftickara and Diaz will give him ample protection.

El Toro

1990 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 11-2 4-1 COACH RECORD AT SCHOOL Mike Milner 0-0 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 3 4 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Chris Adams, 6-2, 210 -- DE Sr. Jason Bailey, 6-2, 190 WR DB Sr. Wade Jackson, 5-10, 170 WR -- Sr. Matt Kimball, 5-10, 185 FB LB Sr. Jeff Knox, 6-2, 215 TE DE Sr. Bill McFadden, 5-11, 170 QB -- Sr. Chris Miller, 6-2, 255 OG NG Sr. Jason Vickers, 5-10, 210 OG LB Sr. Dominic Vittori, 5-7, 170 FB DE Sr. Chris Wiggins, 5-11, 200 FB DE Sr. TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Aaron Anderson, 6-3, 210 OT DT Jr. Jeff Brizic, 5-10, 180 RB DB Jr. Albert Fontenot, 6-0, 195 RB LB So. OJ Flowers, 5-8, 155 WR DB Jr. Joey Longo, 5-10, 155 WR DB Jr. Pat McAdam, 6-1, 185 TE DB Jr. Jermy McDowell, 5-8, 155 WR DB Jr. Jim Mohammed, 6-5, 235 OT DT Jr. Shaun Salas, 5-6, 155 RB DB Jr.

OUTLOOK

It’s a whole new ballgame at El Toro, where the look is decidedly different after Bob Johnson ended his 12-year tenure as coach. Milner spent 19 seasons at Fountain Valley, 12 as head coach. The losses, including quarterback Rob Johnson, would seem to outweigh the gains, however. Johnson, who passed for more than 2,000 yards and led the Chargers to the semifinals of the Division II playoffs, is now at USC. Most of the other familiar names are gone, too, and perhaps that’s why there are strong indications that the Chargers will not finish among the league’s top three this season.

Irvine

1990 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 6-4 2-3 COACH RECORD AT SCHOOL Terry Henigan 48-52-2 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 4 2 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Curt Cannon, 6-4, 230 OT -- Sr. Danny Kang, 6-0, 180 WR -- Sr. Tarey Gettys, 6-1, 190 -- SS Sr. Ryan Jones, 6-2, 210 -- LB Jr. Jason Minici, 5-11, 180 QB -- Sr. Scott Seal, 6-1, 195 FB -- Jr. TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Tom Kilishek, 6-2, 190 -- DE Sr. Rick Loyaza, 5-10, 205 -- DT Sr. John Martin, 5-11, 210 -- DT Sr. Eddie McRoberts, 6-1, 190 -- LB Sr. Jon Peck, 6-2, 180 WR -- Sr.

OUTLOOK

Hopes are high that the Vaqueros can break up the so-called Iron Triangle of Capistrano Valley, El Toro and Mission Viejo and earn a playoff berth. That’s unusual talk around the Irvine campus, where the Vaqueros have advanced to the playoffs only twice in Henigan’s 10 seasons as coach. Irvine was again the odd team out in 1990, finishing fourth behind the Triangle. But the big three suffered key losses, notably at quarterback, and Irvine has five all-leaguers back from last season. With the graduation of Tony Solliday of Capistrano Valley, Rob Johnson of El Toro and Tim Snowden of Mission Viejo, Minici has emerged as the league’s top quarterback after throwing for 1,629 yards last season. Seal was the team’s leading rusher last season, gaining 886 yards. He’ll spend much of his time running behind Cannon, a big hoss up front. It’s enough to land the Vaqueros in the No. 7 spot in the Division II preseason poll, behind No. 1 Mission Viejo and No. 4 Capistrano Valley.

Mission Viejo

1990 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 11-2 5-0 COACH RECORD AT SCHOOL Mike Rush 33-6 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 2 4 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Eddie Benyo, 5-10, 175 WR CB Sr. Rob Cullinan, 6-5, 265 OT DT Sr. Eric Fielding, 5-10, 195 RB CB Jr. Brian Hodson, 6-2, 245 OG DL Sr. Mark Howerton, 6-1, 185 -- LB Sr. Matt Keneley, 6-5, 260 TE DT Sr. Payson LeMeilleur, 6-1, 205 QB P Sr. Anthony Ramirez, 5-10, 170 WR -- Sr. Scott Von Der Ahe, 6-1, 210 FB LB Sr. Gary Winsor 6-2, 240 OT DT Jr. TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR T.J. Brown, 6-2, 200 OT LB Jr. Matt Denny, 6-3, 185 WR FS So. Deron Drake, 5-11, 180 RB CB Sr. Dave Loya, 6-2, 210 FB LB Jr. Scott Newhausen, 5-9, 160 WR CB Jr. Chad Peare, 6-1, 210 OG LB Jr. Paul Young, 6-4, 245 OT DT Jr.

OUTLOOK

Rush, in his fourth season as coach, likes to think of the Diablos as underdogs and spoilers. Funny, most everyone else believes otherwise. Mission Viejo is top-ranked in the Division II preseason poll and No. 2 in Orange County. That doesn’t guarantee a third consecutive league title. Predicting this league race is always difficult. Last year, third-place Capistrano Valley walked off with the Division II championship trophy. The Diablos feature big, physical linemen coupled with speed at the skill positions. Keneley has run 400 meters in 68 seconds and has recruiters drooling. Fielding was an all-league selection as a sophomore. Ramirez, who had eight touchdown catches in ‘90, is the top returning receiver.

San Clemente

1990 RECORDS OVERALL LEAGUE 4-6 0-5 COACH RECORD AT SCHOOL David Elecciri 10-30 RETURNING STARTERS OFF DEF 5 4 TOP RETURNERS OFF DEF YR Morgan Bannister, 6-3, 193 QB FS Sr. Adrian Diaz, 5-11, 200 FB LB Sr. Forrest Lindberg, 6-4, 240 OT DE Sr. Miguel Sixtos, 6-4, 250 OT DE Sr. Adam Ybarra, 6-2, 233 TE DE TOP NEWCOMERS OFF DEF YR Steve Alejo, 5-10, 350 OT DT Jr. David Compton, 6-0, 200 OG DE Jr. Mike Chance, 5-9, 160 WR DB Jr. Eric Del Conte, 5-11, 170 WR DB Jr. Bryan Fischer, 6-0, 175 WR DB So. Brett Hall, 5-10, 165 QB DB Jr. Matt McNeill, 5-11, 220 OT DT Jr. Dylan Newman, 5-10, 165 WR DB So. Victor Ortiz, 5-8, 175 FB LB Jr. Ryan Scott, 6-2, 185 TE LB Jr.

OUTLOOK

The book on San Clemente over the past six years is filled with one ugly chapter after another when it comes to league play. Last year was a typical exercise in frustration as the Tritons went oh-fer after winning four of five nonleague games. The Tritons extended their league losing streak to four consecutive years and their six-year record to 2-29. That could change this season, however. The key could be Bannister’s move from wide receiver to quarterback. The Tritons’ depth is suspect, but Elecciri says the starters are good enough to contend for a playoff berth. If nothing else, San Clemente might have one of the league’s strongest teams. Elecciri, entering his fourth season as coach, is a big weight-lifting advocate. Lindberg, the biggest and strongest of the Tritons, is the probably the league’s best lineman.