Prep football: Price of admission

Barry Faulkner

IRVINE - Northwood High has yet to play a Pacific Coast League

football game, but the Timberwolves’ slate is anything but clean,

according to Estancia High Coach Dave Perkins.

Perkins, whose Eagles hope to provide a stern PCL initiation when they

meet Orange County’s newest varsity program tonight at 7 at Irvine High,

already is looking to settle a score.

Perkins was a vocal critic of Northwood Coach Rick Curtis’ protracted

decision whether to play a varsity or junior varsity schedule this fall.

And, when Curtis finally opted to play as a varsity unit, Perkins had to

back out of plans to open this season in Hawaii.

Furthermore, some PCL coaches said Curtis insisted a condition of

Northwood playing varsity this season was that it open with teams other

than Costa Mesa or Corona del Mar. The inference here was that opening

with other PCL foes would enable the senior-less squad to add seasoning,

before tackling schools expected to form the circuit’s upper echelon.

“We remember those things and our kids are aware of them,” Perkins

said.

Added motivation, however, should not be necessary for the Eagles

(3-2), who entered the season as a league title favorite, but sustained

upset nonleague losses to Canyon and Santa Ana Valley.

Estancia rebounded with a 43-0 trouncing of winless Orange last week

and hopes to continue its upward swing against a 2-3 Northwood crew,

beaten, 34-0, by La Habra, its only preleague opponent from Orange

County.

Northwood, with wins over Granite Hills and Martin Luther King of

Riverside, does worry Perkins.

“They’ve been improving every week,” Perkins said. “They have a

quarterback who throws the heck out of the ball and if we give him time,

he will cause us problems.”

Dan Tomcheck is the aforementioned passer, who has completed 58 of 117

for 685 yards and three touchdowns, with just three interceptions.

Tomcheck’s favorite targets have been Steve Lucas (22 catches for 260

yards) and Bryan Bentrott (10 for 178).

Estancia’s pass defense has allowed just 30 completions in 91 pass

attempts, though five of the 11 TDs opponents have scored have come

through the air.

Offensively, the Eagles have produced nearly two-thirds of their 1,694

total yards on the ground. Senior Andy Romo has rushed for 453 yards and

three TDs on 61 carries, while senior fullback Fahad Jahid has collected

426 yards on 77 attempts.

Romo, who saw limited action last week after aggravating a minor leg

injury, also has a team-leading 15 receptions for 150 yards and two TDs.

He has also has returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Estancia senior quarterback Kenny Valbuena has completed 31 of 61 for

553 yards and four scores, while tossing only one interception.

Jahid, a starter at inside linebacker, as well as tight end-outside

linebacker David Stoddard, have provided strong two-way play for the

Eagles. Stoddard had a long TD catch in Week 4, then collected a pair of

interceptions last week.

Estancia ended a streak of six straight league-opening losses last

season with a victory over Costa Mesa in its PCL debut.