Eagles invade Lions’ den

Barry Faulkner

WESTMINSTER - A week after turning the page on a six-game losing

streak, the Estancia High football team hopes to turn the corner on

gaining respect as a team to be reckoned with this fall.

Standing in the way of such a statement will be a Westminster High squad

hoping to continue to build some momentum of its own, when the Lions host

the Eagles Friday at 7 p.m. in a nonleague battle of unbeatens.

“If we can get a win against those guys, maybe people will start to think

we’re for real,” Estancia Coach Dave Perkins said. “We should be in the

ballgame and I think our kids will rise to the occasion.”

Estancia’s season-opening 35-0 win over Magnolia was a joyous occasion

for Perkins and his players, who experienced just one victory in 1998.

“It was nice for the kids to have a big win like that,” Perkins said.

“And to have no turnovers and get a shutout; that was huge.”

The shutout was the first in 17 games for the Eagles, who had gone 20

contests without failing to commit a turnover.

Coach Ted McMillen’s Lions, however, had equal success in their 33-13

victory over Bolsa Grande last week.

Westminster fumbled seven times and was penalized for 165 yards, but

still managed to maul the Matadors, building a 33-0 lead and holding

Bolsa to negative yardage through three quarters.

The Lions are led by senior quarterback Kelly Coburn, a returning

first-team All-Golden West League performer who threw for a school

single-season record 2,293 yards last fall. Coburn was 136 of 259 with 20

touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a junior. He began his senior season

completing 10 of 18 for 161 yards and three TDs, without an interception.

“He’s pretty doggone good,” Perkins said of Coburn. “We did show some

weaknesses in our secondary Friday, so we’ll need to correct those

mistakes. And we’ll need to do a better job of putting pressure on Coburn

(after posting just one sack against Magnolia).”

Westminster senior Vince Laurel, a second-team all-league defender last

fall, caught two TD passes and had two interceptions against Bolsa.

Senior Phillip Jenkins had 122 yards rushing and receiving last week and

operates behind a large offensive line which includes 6-foot-6, 350-pound

Soli Letuli, a second-team all-leaguer in ’98.

Estancia is paced by senior Marshall Hendricks, who exploded for 309

all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in his debut as an Eagle. The

Edison High transfer rushed for 218 yards on 14 carries and returned one

of his two interceptions 75 yards for a TD. His two interceptions tie him

with two others, including Laurel, for the Orange County lead.

The Eagles are expected to continue with the junior quarterback platoon

of Jeremy Valdes and Kenny Valbuena.

Valdes completed 2 of 3 for 50 yards and Valbuena connected on 4 of 11

for 52 yards last week.

Adding to Hendricks’ impressive rushing display was a 121-yard

performance by senior fullback Matt Mueller (in just six attempts).

The Eagles’ veteran line, paced by senior tackle Kyle Westman (6-3, 290),

will attempt to keep the offense in gear.

Westminster won last year’s first meeting between the two programs,

30-14, as Coburn threw for 195 yards and three TDs.

If Estancia can even the series, it would open 2-0 for the fourth time in

the 1990s, the first time since ’96.