Featured Games

Villa Park vs. El Modena

The records--Villa Park (4-1), El Modena (4-1).

The site--Fred Kelly Stadium.

The standings--Villa Park (2-0) is tied with Foothill for first place in the Century League, and El Modena (1-1) was one of four teams tied for second.

Villa Park update--The Spartans, who opened league play with victories over Tustin and Santa Ana Valley, have lost starting fullback Dave Rose for four to five weeks. Rose, who had rushed for 422 yards and 5 touchdowns, was injured last week and had knee surgery Tuesday to remove bone fragments. Offensively, Villa Park will rely on tailback Jaime Nelson (446 yards and 4 touchdowns) and quarterback Mike Cederoth, who has completed 29 of 63 attempts for 517 yards and 4 touchdowns with no interceptions. Pat Glenn, one of the Spartans’ biggest starters at 6-feet 2-inches, 200 pounds, will replace Rose, but Villa Park will miss Rose’s quickness and experience. Spartan Coach Pat Mahoney will fill Rose’s linebacker position with Nelson and sophomore Scott Creagan.

El Modena update--The Vanguards suffered their first defeat last week, losing to Foothill, 14-0. El Modena also lost to Foothill early in the 1984 season, but won the rest of its games and its second consecutive Southern Conference championship. “I’ll tell you, you can win too much,” Vanguard Coach Bob Lester said. “It gets to the point where you know you’re going to lose, so I think that loss will be good for us. Still, this is a different team, and I’m not sure how they’ll react. We may win the rest of our games or lose them all.” With two-way linemen Don Gibson (6-3, 255), Allen Ennis (6-1, 220) and Grant Grable (6-1, 215), El Modena will have a considerable size advantage over Villa Park. The Vanguards’ offense revolves around tailback Ross Bauer, who has 685 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Key to the game--The Spartans must be able to pass effectively when the Vanguards least expect it. Nelson is an excellent back and Glenn is a capable replacement for Rose, but if Villa Park can’t establish its passing attack, it may be in trouble. El Modena needs a better performance from quarterback Chris Gallego, who completed 8 of 23 passes for 60 yards and was intercepted twice last week.

Consensus--El Modena won last season’s game, 22-17, and this year’s game also figures to be close. But the Vanguards’ size advantage and ability to control the line of scrimmage should give them the edge.

Edison vs. Westminster

The records--Edison (4-1), Westminster (3-2).

The site--Westminster Stadium.

Edison update--The Chargers were shut out by El Modena in the season opener but have played well since. In the last four games, they have averaged 31.7 points and have developed one of Orange County’s most potent passing attacks. Quarterback Mike Angelovic is the county’s top-rated passer with 49 completions in 78 attempts for 879 yards and 11 touchdowns. Rick Justice is Edison’s leading receiver with 22 catches for 383 yards and 7 touchdowns, but he hardly is Angelovic’s only target. Mike Henderson has caught 7 passes--4 for touchdowns--for 223 yards, an average of more than 32 yards per catch. “He’s been fairly productive,” Edison Coach Bill Workman deadpanned. Starting fullback Mike Smyser has been out two weeks with back spasms but is expected to return to the lineup tonight. Offensive tackle Randy Goens missed the first three games with a knee injury but was back at full strength in last week’s 37-7 win over Notre Dame.

Westminster update--The Lions have lost their last two games after a fast start. Westminster’s defense has been solid, but the offense has been sporadic. The Lions have allowed 44 points in five games, but have scored only 65. Quarterback Dave Gulley has been slowed by a leg injury and didn’t suit up for last week’s game against Long Beach Wilson. Mike Austin has replaced Gulley at quarterback and defensive back. If Gulley can return, it should make Austin more effective in the secondary, an area that figures to be tested severly tonight. Todd Weaver, a starting linebacker, has a shoulder injury and was limited to kicking last week. Co-Coach Jack Bowman said he doesn’t expect Weaver to be ready to play defense tonight.

Key to the game--Westminster’s ability to defend the Edison passing game. El Modena is the only team that has done that successfully. The Lions also will need to sustain some offensive drives.

Consensus--The Chargers are playing the way many believed they would before the season began. They are the team to beat for the league title, and solid favorites tonight.

Pacifica vs.Esperanza

The records--Pacifica (2-0, 3-2), Esperanza (1-1, 1-4).

The site--Bradford Stadium.

The standings--Pacifica is tied for the lead with the Empire League’s two other undefeated teams, Los Alamitos and El Dorado. Esperanza is one game back, tied with Kennedy.

Pacifica update--The Mariners are on a roll after beating Loara, 17-0, last week. It was Pacifica’s second-straight shutout, and its most lopsided victory ever against the Saxons. Tailback Callen Chase had his most productive game, rushing for 169 yards. The previous week, Pacifica trounced Katella, 35-0, its biggest winning margin since joining the league five years ago. In both games, the Mariners made very few mistakes while playing excellent defense and balanced offense. The team enters tonight’s game with just one starter missing, tackle Andy Hoodward, who suffered a broken hand against Katella.

Esperanza update--The Aztecs are undoubtedly the most formidable 1-4 team in the county after playing a difficult nonleague schedule and suffering a 24-21 last-second loss to Los Alamitos last week. The Aztec defense is solid, though the offense tends to survive on the pass. Quarterback Tim Beckman, the league’s leading passer last season, has been edging upward in the quarterback ratings. After completing 10 of 15 passes for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns last week, he became the league’s second-ranked passer.

Key to the game--It’s up to Esperanza to ignite an offense in the face of the Mariners’ sterling defense. The Aztecs are having an unusually tough time rushing, but Mariner Coach Bill Craven said that the Aztecs’ opponents have made it difficult. Aztec Coach Pete Yoder said Esperanza’s offensive line is improving, giving Beckman more time to pass. If he is able to, a fleet of fleet receivers, including John Ledesma and Kevin Clancy, could keep the Aztecs in the game.

Consensus--Esperanza and Pacifica have established a predictable pattern of victories the past five years. The series stands at 2-2. Since the Mariners joined the league in 1981, they have beaten the Aztecs in every odd-numbered year. The 1985 game would appear to be theirs, barring uncharacteristic errors. But it won’t be easy.