PREP EXTRA : The Class of ‘95: Seniors to Watch : Also Likely To Succeed : San Clemente’s Samperi Leads Outstanding Crop of County Athletes

Coaches from Nebraska already have called Brett Samperi’s house.

Twice.

That should indicate how good the San Clemente senior offensive lineman is. Nebraska coaches may not know much about winning bowl games, but they do know a quality lineman when they see one. The program, after all, has produced six Outland Trophy winners.

Samperi, a 6-foot-5, 270-pound tackle, started the final three games of his sophomore season and was a second-team All-South Coast League selection last season. Recruiters seem to think a little more of him than that, as Samperi does not lack for company. He has been contacted by every Pacific 10 team and many other heavy hitters from across the nation.

“Brett is one of the most impressive kids I’ve seen,” San Clemente Coach Mark McElroy said. “I’ve seen him drive guys back 10-15 yards, then put them into the ground.”

Samperi is the county’s top senior to watch this year in football, but the standout athletes from the Class of ’95 are not limited to that sport.

Here’s a look at some seniors to keep an eye on during the upcoming school year:

BADMINTON

Judy Pak, Garden Grove

Judy Pak, who reached the round of 16 in last year’s Southern Section singles tournament, has been a three-time all-league selection and compiled a 46-8 record en route to leading Garden Grove to the section title in her first year of singles play.

Pak, The Times Orange County girls’ player of the year for 1994, has increased her off-season training and tournament schedule, and her focus, combined with her power, quickness and incredible tenacity, make her the player to watch.

BASEBALL

Eric Valent, Canyon

Hitting is Eric Valent’s forte. The left-hander has one of the county’s smoothest swings, which enables him to drive the ball to all fields.

A starter since his sophomore season, Valent, 17, is a two-time All-Century League selection. Valent (5 feet 11, 170 pounds) maintained a torrid pace last season while batting third for the Comanches, who had the county’s top offense.

Valent, a member of The Times’ all-county baseball team, batted .417 with five home runs and 33 runs batted in. He further distinguished himself at the Area Code Games in Long Beach, an annual showcase for the top players entering their senior seasons, and the Olympic Festival at St. Louis, where he batted .429.

“He has a real good, compact, powerful swing,” Canyon Coach Mike Najera said. “He’ll probably go down as the greatest player Canyon ever had.”

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Doug Gottlieb, Tustin

As a junior, Doug Gottlieb, 6-0, was one of the best point guards in the county, averaging 8.1 assists during the regular season.

According to his coach at Tustin, Andy Ground, Gottlieb will take his five recruiting visits to Notre Dame, Michigan State, Connecticut, Virginia and Florida. UCLA is also among Gottlieb’s six final choices.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Angela Burgess, Woodbridge

Angela Burgess has, in the past, been a lumbering giant for Woodbridge, but the 6-4 center showed a mobility and drive at the end of last season that hints of a spectacular senior campaign.

She averaged 13.3 points and 12.4 rebounds, and appears primed to be the dominant force necessary to lead the Warriors to a second consecutive State title game.

BOYS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

Adalberto Sanchez, Capistrano Valley

Adalberto Sanchez employed his aggressive running style to win the South Coast League titles the last two seasons. The Capistrano Valley senior likes to take the lead and make everybody play catch-up.

Sanchez finished third at the county championships as a junior and 12th at the State Division I finals. He also posted the fastest time at last year’s Dana Hills Invitational.

GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

Eliaser Estrada, Santa Ana Valley

Eliaser Estrada came into her own as a junior at Santa Ana Valley, finishing third at the county championships.

After placing fourth at the Southern Section Division I-AA finals, she advanced to the State Division I championships, where she was seventh. Estrada was runner-up at the Century League finals last year.

GOLF

Jenny Lee, Sunny Hills

Jenny Lee, the only girl on the Sunny Hills varsity, played a vital part in the Lancers’ Southern Section team championship last spring.

She also won the CIF-Southern California Golf Assn. individual title, beating two-time defending champion Kellee Booth of Santa Margarita by one stroke.

BOYS’ SOCCER

Seth George, Santa Margarita

Forward Seth George is a two-time All-Sea View League first-team selection from Santa Margarita who scored 21 goals and had five assists last year. He was the lone junior on last season’s Times’ all-county first team.

“Every year he seems to add something to his game,” said Orange Coach Eddie Carrillo, who saw George play a lot this summer. “He’s a leader, he’s a little tougher. He’s the kind of guy who’s going to carry that Santa Margarita team this year.”

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Cassie Campbell, Marina

The Sunset League’s most valuable player on offense as a junior, Cassie Campbell is great finisher. She scored 29 goals and had 14 assists, helping Marina win its second consecutive Southern Section Division I title and extend its unbeaten streak to 39 games.

SOFTBALL

Marcy Crouch, Marina

Marcy Crouch is such a good soccer player that she starts playing softball much later in the season than others, but the enormousness of her talent is uncontested; she compiled a 22-2 record and 0.24 earned-run average, and batted .337 last year.

She led Marina’s run to the Division I championship last year.

BOYS’ SWIMMING

Mark Kwok, Laguna Hills

With the departure of superstar Derya Buyukuncu from the county’s prep pools, the scramble for No. 1 is on. Though there are plenty of state and nationally ranked swimmers, Laguna Hills’ Mark Kwok, who also swims with the Mission Viejo Nadadores, is the leading candidate.

Kwok swam a national time in the 100-yard butterfly (50.41 seconds). He was named swimmer of the meet at last season’s Southern Section Division III finals.

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

Cheryl Murphy, Mission Viejo

Cheryl Murphy is riding a wave of success at Mission Viejo. She finished third at the Southern Section Division I finals in the 100-yard backstroke after winning the event a week at the South Coast League finals.

Another member of the Nadadores, Murphy has senior-national times in the 100-meter back and the 400-meter individual medley. At Nationals last month, she finished 23rd in the 200 backstroke in 2 minutes 19.26 seconds.

BOYS’ TENNIS

Ryan Thompson, Foothill

With Ocean View’s Jakub Pietrowski, twice The Times’ player of the year, off to Notre Dame, things should get a little easier for county tennis players. Ryan Thompson, who was knocked out of the Southern Section singles tournament last year by Pietrowski in straight sets, appears to be the best of a talented senior class that includes Mater Dei’s Brett Hankey and Villa Park’s Ryan Hollis.

Thompson, from Foothill, is ranked 27th in Southern California in singles and is one of the top-ranked doubles players in the nation.

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Brandi Freudenberg, El Modena

El Modena’s Brandi Freudenberg has been picked as The Times’ best girls’ player the last two seasons and there’s no reason to expect she won’t be again this year. Freudenberg, who reached the Southern Section individual singles semifinals last year, spent most of the summer honing her game and improving her ranking in national tournaments.

She has decided to take recruiting trips to UCLA, Arizona, Baylor, Fresno State and California.

BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD

Reggie Curry, Tustin

Reggie Curry has been Tustin’s leading jumper the last two seasons, winning the Sea View League and Southern Section Division II triple jump titles as a junior.

He posted one of the nation’s top marks (49 feet 8 1/2 inches, wind-aided) to win the county title last April.

GIRLS’ TRACK AND FIELD

Tara Oettinger, Foothill

Tara Oettinger was the State champion in the long jump last season with a personal best of 19 feet 7 1/2 inches, becoming the first individual State champion in the 30-year history of Foothill High. She won four events at the county championships and three at the Century League finals.

Oettinger had county-best marks in the 100 meters (12.37 seconds), 200 meters (25.17 seconds on three consecutive weekends) and 400 meters (57.72 at the county championships).

BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

Gabe Gardner, San Clemente

Gabe Gardner, a 6-8 outside hitter, is also a standout water polo goalkeeper at San Clemente. His coach, USC alumnus Mike Hurlbut, said the Trojans and many of the nation’s top programs are recruiting Gardner.

“Gabe isn’t a fish out of water when he plays volleyball,” Hurlbut said. “I think he’d like to play both sports in college.”

WATER POLO

James Palda, Corona del Mar

Corona del Mar, top-ranked in the county and the Southern Section Division I, have four of the finest seniors, but James Palda stands out because of his intensity.

Last season, Palda led the Sea Kings in scoring--by a goal over fellow junior Neil Hueston--helping Corona del Mar to the title game, where it lost to El Toro, 10-9, in overtime.

WRESTLING

Josh Holiday, Calvary Chapel

Josh Holiday’s 51-1 record last season included victories in the 145-pound weight class at league finals, Southern Section Division III, Masters and State tournaments, with his only loss coming at the Iron Man tournament in Ohio.

Calvary Chapel Coach John Azevedo produces nationally ranked wrestlers with consistency, but Holiday has the desire, ability and discipline to be a standout in any program at any school.

Martin Beck, Matt Farmer, Chris Foster, Erik Hamilton, Martin Henderson, Michael Itagaki, Dave McKibben, Jason H. Reid and Bob Rohwer contributed to this story.