Orange County All-Star Football Game : El Modena’s Johnson Could Be the Difference

The North, with talented quarterback Brett Johnson of El Modena High School, hopes to end the South’s domination tonight in the 26th Orange County All-Star football game at Santa Ana Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30.

The South has gone unbeaten in the series in the past seven years and has recorded two consecutive shutouts. But the North, which leads the series, 14-10-1, may settle the score with Johnson at quarterback.

The 6-foot 1-inch, 180-pound senior led El Modena to two consecutive Southern Conference football titles. The Vanguards will also have wide receiver Ed Nasser and defensive end Rick Bauer in the starting lineup with running back Sean Sawyer in a reserve role for the North.

Area sportswriters have listed the game as even, but it was obvious that the South team did not have a quarterback comparable to Johnson in this week’s practice sessions. South Coach Jerry Witte of Saddleback concurred.

“We’ve got some great receivers, but the big question is whether we can get the ball to them,” he said. “We certainly don’t have a quarterback who compares to Johnson.”

El Modena was moved to the North this year, and if the change follows the form of the county’s all-star basketball game, the move will be a big boost for parity. Mater Dei’s basketball team was moved to the North this year, and the team responded with a two-point, overtime win.

North Coach Tim Devaney, who led Sunny Hills to the Central Conference championship in 1983, plans a wide-open attack.

“We’ve got the quarterback and some fine receivers, so if we get the time, we’re going to throw a lot,” Devaney said. “We want to treat the fans to an exciting game and make it fun for the players.

“Defensively, Dan Owens of La Habra has been awesome in practice. I was afraid he was going to hurt some of our players because he’s so physical. I can see why USC recruited him. He’s an outstanding player.”

Witte will have three of his Saddleback players--Earl Jones, Teddy Baker and John Cook--in the South secondary in an effort to neutralize the North’s passing attack. Jud Dutrisac will start for the South at quarterback, meaning that two Century League players will call the signals.

The big surprise of the South camp has been the play of defensive end George Paddock, a 6-foot 4-inch, 230-pound senior from tiny Goldenwest Christian. Paddock, who signed a national letter of intent to play at Cal State Fullerton this fall, played eight-man football at Goldenwest Christian.

“George has finally learned to play 11-man football,” Witte said. “Cal State Fullerton got a real steal.”

Two county record holders will also be featured in tonight’s game. North running back Jim Farrell of Esperanza set the record for most touchdowns in a season when he scored 32 for the high-scoring Aztecs. North wide receiver David Sepulveda of Fullerton caught 81 passes for the season, including 26 receptions in one game for a national prep record.

But the difference in the game could be South kicker Mickey Penaflor of Fountain Valley or North kicker Tod Prukop of Servite. Penaflor kicked 10 field goals for the Barons during the regular season, and Prukop had 13 for Servite.

All-Star Game Starting Lineups SOUTH OFFENSE

Pos. Player School Hgt. Wgt. WR Carl Harry Fountain Valley 6-0 165 WR Mike Mitchell Mater Dei 6-6 205 TE Henry Gray Mission Viejo 6-4 210 OT Mike Beech Newport Harbor 6-7 265 OT Brad Leggett Fountain Valley 6-5 250 OG Steve Hingst Foothill 6-5 225 OG Chuck Kunsaitis El Toro 6-7 240 C Jeff Magwood Dana Hills 6-2 215 QB Jud Dutrisac Foothill 6-0 170 FB Fritz Howser Newport Harbor 6-2 195 TB Dave Swigart Fountain Valley 5-9 180

SOUTH DEFENSE

Pos. Player School Hgt. Wgt. DE Fred Jordan Marina 6-1 210 DT Tom Kitchens Newport Harbor 6-6 235 DT Darren Grudt Los Amigos 6-5 300 DE George Paddock Goldenwest Chr. 6-4 230 LB Kelly Stovall Ocean View 6-3 215 LB Mark Ziegenhagen Tustin 6-2 195 LB Shawn Coles La Quinta 6-0 190 DB Kevin McLain El Toro 5-10 170 DB Teddy Baker Saddleback 5-10 160 DB John Cook Saddleback 6-2 180 DB Earl Jones Saddleback 5-10 160

NORTH DEFENSE

Pos. Player School Hgt. Wgt. DE Rick Bauer El Modena 6-0 185 DT Dan Owens La Habra 6-4 235 DT John Garcia Sonora 6-4 215 DE Tim Wachholtz Fullerton 6-4 215 LB Clay Brohn Canyon 6-2 225 LB Scott Fairfield El Dorado 5-11 185 LB Paul DiFillippo Troy 6-0 195 DB Mike Lutz Sunny Hills 5-11 175 DB Doug Beuerlein Servite 5-11 170 DB Tod Prukop Servite 6-4 190 DB Phil Garabedian Anaheim 6-1 200

NORTH OFFENSE

Pos. Player School Hgt. Wgt. TE Brian Raum Villa Park 6-3 210 WR Ed Nasser El Modena 6-2 185 WR David Sepulveda Fullerton 5-10 170 OT David McKinnon Fullerton 6-5 265 OT Jeff Donovan Troy 6-2 225 OG Eric Seabold Esperanza 6-2 220 OG Loren Castro Servite 6-2 210 C Adam Shea Sunny Hills 5-10 200 QB Brett Johnson El Modena 6-1 180 FB Tim Byrnes Sunny Hills 5-11 195 TB Jim Farrell Esperanza 6-2 180