Oilers tap into a new challenge

Huntington Beach High enters its second century of existence in the 2006-07 school year. Coincidentally, the Oilers do so with a new league affiliation.

Gone are the days of competing in the star-studded Sunset League, a time-honored alliance that has traditionally been home to Edison, Fountain Valley and Marina, and in recent years, Los Alamitos and Esperanza.

In its place this year — and for the next four — is life in the Sea View League where the Oilers will co-exist with league holdovers Foothill and Woodbridge, and fellow newcomers El Toro, Northwood and Trabuco Hills.

Huntington Beach football teams had competed in the Sunset League annually since 1976, but first joined the league in 1962.

With several returners back from a 2005 team that reached the CIF Southern Section playoffs for the first time since 1998, including a huge offensive threat, Huntington Beach is poised to make an impressive introduction to the league.

“The Sea View League is extremely competitive,” said Mike Groscost, entering his fifth year as head coach of the Oilers. “We believe that any one of the teams can challenge for the league title.”

Twelve starters are back for the Oilers — including seven on offense — from a team that won more games (five), than any other Oilers team since the 1998 squad won six.

Among those returning is three-year varsity starter Stephen Gabbard, a 6-foot, 215-pound senior. He is a name opponents should become quite familiar with.

As a junior last season, he rushed for 1,672 yards to earn Offensive Back of the Year in the Sunset League. The rushing yards were the second-best single-season production in the history of the program, Groscost said.

“He was obviously a mainstay for us,” Groscost said last year, in reference to Gabbard’s rushing abilities. “He is one of the strongest kids on the team and just a dream player to coach. It was a pleasure to coach him and watch him run the ball.”

The Oilers also have all-league returners in senior two-way lineman Skylar Fancher (6-6, 285) who is another three-year starter, junior running back and defensive back Johnny Olive (5-10, 230), junior running back and defensive lineman Justin Niutapuai (5-11, 260) and senior offensive lineman, defensive back Tyler Haunreiter (6-0, 210) who was the team’s leading tackler last year.

Other contributors include: senior two-way lineman Finau Fiaseu (6-3, 280); junior tight end and defensive back Keith Roberts (6-2, 200); junior two-way lineman Shane Landry (6-2, 235) and junior two-way lineman Jason Spangler (5-11, 260) whom Groscost said is the strongest guy on the team.

Junior Rodriguez (5-6, 155), a senior running back and defensive back, as well as junior tight end and defensive back Josh Smith (6-3, 190) also figure to make big contributions this year.

Junior Bobby Duarte (5-10, 175) and sophomore J.D. Ogilvie (5-8, 160) had been in a tight battle to land the starting quarterback job, with Duarte holding the slight edge as of the second week of fall camp, Groscost said.

“We will be very physical this year on both sides of the ball,” Groscost said. “We expect to be competitive in every game. We should be very fun to come and watch.”

Last year, the Oilers averaged nearly 30 points per game, and scored 25 or more points six times. They even pinned 75 on Century in a 68-point nonleague victory. But on the flip side, they’ll need to shore up a defense that surrendered 35 points or more on six occasions.

“We will need to be consistent in all aspects of the game,” Groscost said. “We cannot allow big plays and cannot allow turnovers.

“These kids expect to win. Most of our offensive line and backfield are returning on a team that averaged almost 30 points a game last year.”

Huntington Beach begins a six-game home schedule on Friday against Millikan.

Other nonleague opponents include Los Amigos, Costa Mesa, Long Beach Jordan and Westminster.

They play their first Sea View League game on Oct. 13 at Trabuco Hills.

“We want to start this century off right,” Groscost said.

THE OILERS

Colors: Black, orange and white

League: Sea View

2005 record: 5-6 overall; 2-3 league

Type of offense: Double wing

Type of defense: Three-four

Head coach: Mike Groscost (fifth year, 14-26-1)

Staff: Dan Brummett (defensive coordinator); Eric Lo (offensive line, special teams); Roy Brummett (defensive line); Kurt Clemens (linebackers); Deshonne Ross (receivers); Ian Domenelli (secondary).

Returners on offense: Seven

Returners on defense: Five

Returning lettermen: 35

Returning with honors: RB-DB Stephen Gabbard; OL-DL Skyler Fancher; FB-LB Johnny Olive; FB-DL Justin Niutapuai; OL-LB Tyler Haunreiter.

2005 ResultsOpponentScoreLos Amigos35-28 LCosta Mesa 37-14 WLaguna Hills 19-7 WCentury 75-7 WTrabuco Hills35-25 LLos Alamitos* 45-35 LEdison* 48-0 LFountain Valley* 41-7 WMarina* 14-7 WEsperanza* 44-20 LLong Beach Poly** 55-7 L

2006 ScheduleDateOpponentSiteTimeFridayMillikanHome7 p.m.Sept. 8Los AmigosHome7 p.m.Sept. 15Costa MesaOCC7 p.m.Sept. 22L.B. JordanAway7 p.m.Sept. 28WestminsterHome7 p.m.Oct. 13Trabuco Hills*Away7 p.m.Oct. 20Northwood*Home7 p.m.Oct. 27El Toro*Trabuco Hills7 p.m.Nov. 3Woodbridge*Home7 p.m.Nov. 9Foothill*Home7 p.m.

* denotes league game; ** denotes playoff game