Eagles enter in dark

First-year Estancia High coach Brian Barnes, and many of his players,

learned much from their varsity football debut last week.

But they will have to learn about tonight’s opponent, Huntington

Park from the CIF Los Angeles City Section, as the game unfolds.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Orange Coast College.

“I haven’t heard anything about them,” Barnes said of the

Spartans, who are opening their season after a 9-2 campaign in 2004

that included an Eastern League championship. “We tried to go scout

their scrimmage, but when we showed up at the time and place we were

told it was, there was nobody there. “

The Eagles (0-1) do have plenty to occupy their attention during

the week of preparation, after falling to Corona del Mar, 26-6, in

last week’s opener.

Estancia did play the Sea Kings even for most of the first half

and senior quarterback Ryan Watson completed 17 of 27 for 173 yards

and one touchdown.

But the Eagles were held to 2 rushing yards on 21 attempts and

Barnes said a full-scale personnel review might prompt several lineup

changes.

“We had some kids maybe in the wrong spots,” Barnes said. “But,

definitely, our job as coaches is to find the right spot.”

Specifics on those changes were not available early in the week,

however, so Huntington Park, which surely was on hand to videotape

the Eagles’ first game, will likely have to deal with a few surprises

of its own.

The Spartans, coached by Leroy Wilson, averaged 30 points per game

last season. Among their returners is senior Jose Rivas, who rushed

for 679 yards and five touchdowns and also threw three TD passes as a

junior.

Watson, who threw for 221 yards as a part-time starter in 2004,

clearly carried the offensive load for the Eagles last week.

His favorite targets were junior Matt Redding (four catches for 56

yards), senior Ezequiel Villalvazo (five for 19 yards) and senior

Alex LaGrand (three for 46).

Fatigue also played a roll in the opening-week defeat, said

Barnes, who might try to decrease the number of players who play both

ways.

Estancia had six players start on both offense and defense last

week.

Estancia has lost four of its last five games, dating back to last

season.

Huntington Park had a nine-game winning streak snapped by its

28-21 loss to Belmont in the first round of the City Section

playoffs.

The availability of Villalvazo, who Barnes said sustained a

concussion against CdM, was uncertain early in the week. But Barnes

was optimistic he would play.

Barnes is still searching for his first victory as coach.