IN DEFENSE OF CHAMINADE, THERE’S WEBBER

WEST HILLS —  James Webber’s nose for the ball has been one of the only things keeping Chaminade High from falling flat on its face this football season.

A 6-foot-3 1/2, 215-pound inside linebacker with an extraordinary ability to search and destroy, Webber has played with relentless intensity despite the Eagles’ 0-4 start.

Chaminade, a once-strong program that has fallen on hard times, ranks near the bottom offensively among Southern Section teams in the region.

On defense, however, the Eagles stand a respectable 18th.

El Camino Real Coach Rick Hayashida, who watched Webber make 10 solo tackles and assist on five others against the Conquistadores last month, said the senior has been underrated and overlooked.

“He’s the main reason they’re so tough on defense,” Hayashida said. “You can coach a kid to read [plays] and help him get there a little sooner, but you’re always looking for someone like [Webber] who has the natural instinct to stick his nose in a split second before everyone else.”

Webber had five tackles and three assists against Thousand Oaks in the third week of the season, lowering his averages to 9.2 solo tackles and four assists per game. But he contributed with two sacks, forced a fumble and a broke up a pass against the Lancers.

“He’s been outstanding,” said Chaminade Coach Tim Johnson, a former small college linebacker. “You can’t coach a lot of the things he does and we’ve had [opposing] coaches come up to us and say, ‘That kid can flat-out play.’ ”

Webber, who occasionally shifts to defensive end and also plays tight end, attributes some of his ability to experience.

A two-year varsity starter, he is in his eighth year of tackle football.

“I was always serious about football, even in Pop Warner,” Webber said. “I’ve been playing so long that I can usually read the play right off the bat. It’s just a matter of getting there to make the tackle.”

In that regard, he simply follows his nose.