El Toro’s Stenstrom May Start for Stanford

Steve Stenstrom, The Times’ All-County quarterback in 1989 while at El Toro High School, will probably replace Jason Palumbis as Stanford’s starting quarterback this weekend when the Cardinal plays host to Cornell, Stanford Coach Denny Green said Tuesday.

Palumbis, who led the nation and set a Stanford record for completion percentage last year, has completed 78 of 135 passes for 782 yards this season, with no touchdowns and four interceptions.

Stenstrom, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound sophomore, replaced Palumbis at the start of the fourth quarter of Stanford’s 42-26 loss to Notre Dame Saturday and completed eight of 10 passes for 124 yards.

An injured thumb will sideline Oregon quarterback Danny O’Neil for the rest of the season.

O’Neil, a redshirt freshman who started at quarterback in all five games for the Ducks this season, was named to the Division I All-Southern Section first team as a senior at Mater Dei in 1989. He dislocated his right thumb in Saturday’s 29-6 victory over New Mexico State.

Team doctors decided Tuesday that O’Neil should undergo surgery to place a pin in the injured thumb to ensure proper healing.