Prep football: New Mustangs in the corral

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - The transfers of three football players from Estancia

High to Costa Mesa High have been approved and two more could be

finalized before fall practice begins, according to officials at both

schools, as well as the Newport-Mesa Unified School District.

Bobby Arroyo, Matt Colby and A.J. Perkins, all of whom played for Dave

Perkins as juniors last year at Estancia, have joined their former coach,

A.J.’s father, at Costa Mesa and are working out with the Mustangs during

the summer session.

Jesse Cardenas, another senior, is awaiting final approval on his

desired transfer from Estancia to Costa Mesa.

Freddy Rodriguez, rumored also to be making the move, has yet to

announce his plans, but he has not worked out with the Estancia football

or basketball teams since summer began. Dave Perkins, who resigned at

Estancia to become coach at crosstown rival Costa Mesa in May, said

Rodriguez did file transfer paperwork before the May 15 CIF Southern

Section deadline for intradistrict transfers to retain athletic

eligibility at their future school. Perkins said he has not spoken to

Rodriguez about his future plans and Rodriguez could not be reached for

comment.

A.J. Perkins, expected to be Costa Mesa’s starting quarterback, has

been working out with the Mustangs since the summer program began, June

25. He completed 2 of 7 passes last season as a backup and also started a

handful of games at cornerback. He was listed at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds

last year.

Arroyo was a first-team All-Pacific Coast League inside linebacker as

a 5-10, 220-pound junior, while Colby, listed last fall at 5-10, 175,

earned second-team All-PCL recognition as an outside linebacker. The

transfers of both Arroyo and Colby became official this week.

Dave Perkins expects Cardenas, who started about half the Eagles’

games last fall as a 5-9, 230-pound noseguard, to be cleared to begin

working out with the Mustangs next week.

“The process has about taken its course and the kids are excited about

that,” Dave Perkins said. “There was a lot of waiting around involved,

but the kids hung in there, because they thought (transferring) was the

right thing to do.”

Rumors began circulating that several prospective seniors would follow

Perkins to Costa Mesa even before his hiring at Mesa became official.

Colby, A.J. Perkins, Arroyo and Cardenas did not attend spring practice

at Estancia, which hired Perkins’ replacement, Jay Noonan, June 13, after

the Eagles’ spring practice had concluded. Rodriguez went through spring

practice at Estancia, which has been left with only a handful of seniors.

Initially, Estancia Principal Tom Antal said the transfers would not

be allowed, because the district’s April 15 deadline to apply for an

intradistrict transfer had not been met.

However, that deadline, according to Newport-Mesa Unified

Superintendent Robert Barbot, exists only to create priority numbers for

prospective transfers hoping to enter schools without existing openings.

There are openings at Costa Mesa for seniors, meaning any prospective

12th-grade student-athlete from within the district transferring to Costa

Mesa, need only satisfy the May 15 CIF deadline to be eligible to compete

at Costa Mesa.

“It was a thoughtful decision,” Antal said of the district’s eventual

approval of the transfers.

Dave Perkins said he expects the former Estancia players to

contribute, but they might not assume the same positions they played last

year.

“The kids we have here are good football players and (Arroyo, Colby

and potentially Cardenas and Rodriguez) will have to work their way up

from third and fourth string. Arroyo and Colby were defensive guys last

year, but they could also fit in on the offensive line.”

Dave Perkins said Mesa players have responded well to the addition of

some former rivals.

“I think the (transfers) will earn the respect of the players with

their work ethic, their performance, and their demeanor on the field,”

Dave Perkins said. “The kids at Mesa want to win and they want the best

guys out on the field.”

The transfers may also bolster other sports at Mesa.

A.J. Perkins also played two seasons of varsity baseball at Estancia

and Arroyo finished second in discus throw at the Pacific Coast League

track and field finals last spring.

Rodriguez averaged 3.1 points on the varsity basketball last year at

Estancia and starred on the Eagles’ sophomore basketball team two seasons

ago.