Prep Football Games to Watch : Charter Oak Gets First Real Test

Charter Oak High of Covina has yet to face a strong challenge after rolling over its first six opponents by a combined score of 294-26. That challenge, however, may materialize Friday night at 7:30, when the Chargers (6-0) play San Dimas (5-0) in a Montview League game at Bonita High in La Verne.

San Dimas’ defense has allowed only 25 points, but the Saints have yet to face an offense as potent as Charter Oak’s, which is led by senior running backs Jeff Obert and Mike Smith. Obert has rushed for 754 yards and 16 touchdowns, and Smith has 511 yards and 7 touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback John Strycula has passed for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Although San Dimas is not as strong on offense as Charter Oak, the Saints, averaging 29 points a game, do have a balanced attack that includes quarterback Tim James, running back Shawn Clark and wide receiver Tim Metcalfe.

Dorsey (5-0) at Gardena (3-2), Friday night--Unbeaten Dorsey has yet to score fewer than three touchdowns in a game and is averaging more than 28 points. The high-scoring Dons are led by quarterback William Williams, running back Tommy Lee Jackson, wide receiver Sean Foster and tight end Robert Nobles. Defense-minded Gardena is averaging 14 points but has allowed only one opponent to score more than seven. The Mohicans have running back Brian Brown back in the lineup and are also using Demeterious Smith to carry the ball. Known as Pee Wee, Smith opened the season at wide receiver and leads the team in scoring with four touchdowns. Brown, who had a slight ankle injury, has two scores.

Claremont (5-1) vs. Pomona (5-1), Friday night at Cal Poly Pomona--This crucial Baseline League game will match one of the top prep quarterbacks in the nation and one of the top running backs. Both teams are 2-1 in league play. Claremont has 6-8 senior quarterback Dan McGwire, who has completed 78 of 141 passes for 1,253 yards and 12 touchdowns. Pomona counters with senior running back J.J. Flannigan, who has rushed for 1,212 yards and 16 touchdowns. Chino Don Lugo saddled each team with its loss, beating Claremont two weeks ago, 20-14, and Pomona last week, 28-0. Flannigan was held to a two-year low 46 yards rushing in that game. Claremont also has Travis Watkins, one of the top wide receivers in the Southern Section, who has 37 catches for 543 yards and 7 touchdowns. Pomona’s Lamar Gray is an outstanding linebacker.

La Puente Bishop Amat (6-0) vs. Santa Ana Mater Dei (4-2), Thursday night at Santa Ana Stadium--Mater Dei, which upset St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs last week to open Angelus League play, will try to make it happen twice in a row. The Monarchs will play meet The Times’ third-ranked Southern Section team tonight. Mater Dei’s Gary Coston has kicked field goals in the final minute of play to give the Monarchs victories in the last two weeks. Coston’s 39-yard field goal beat Westminster, 14-11, and his 47-yarder was the difference in a 17-14 win over St. Paul. Bishop Amat features junior tailback Eric Bieniemy, who has scored 14 touchdowns, 5 of them last week in a 36-12 victory over Bishop Montgomery of Torrance.

Reseda (3-2) at Venice (4-1), Friday night--This may be the pivotal game in the race for the Pac 8 League title. Venice has beaten Westchester, 10-8, and a victory over Reseda would leave Venice in commanding position, with only the league’s two cellar teams--North Hollywood (1-4) and Grant (1-4)--left to play. Reseda, which has one of the most improved defenses in the Valley, lost to Westchester last week, 16-7, because of a lackluster offensive performance in the second half. Reseda’s Daryl Mickens, who has passed for 649 yards and 7 touchdowns, will throw all over the field if he has protection.

Pico Rivera El Rancho (5-1) at Bell Gardens (4-2), Friday night--El Rancho hasn’t defeated the host Lancers since joining the Whitmont League in 1982. Bell Gardens was a preseason favorite for the league title, but was upset last week by La Serna, which shares the top spot with El Rancho. Running backs Robert Garcia (71 carries, 541 yards, 6 touchdowns), Franciso Varillas (38-499-3) and Adrian Ortega (61-365-3) lead El Rancho’s attack. Bell Gardens quarterback Javier Fimbres has passed for 1,035 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Jefferson (5-0) at Bell (5-0), Friday night--Going into this key Eastern League game, Bell has allowed an average of 3.5 points per game. Jefferson has given up only 5.1. Offensively, both teams have been going more to the passing game in recent weeks. Bell has a three-year starter in quarterback Eluid Pacheco, who throws to wide receivers Benny Castro and Marcus Bowen, and tight end Sal Garcia. Jefferson lost its starting quarterback, Curtis Williams, with a bruised hip and slight concussion in last week’s win over South Gate, but sophomore Lorenzo Dickson took over and will start this game. Wide receiver Curtis Brown and tight end Derrick Williams are his main targets. Depending on how he looks in practice, Curtis Williams may play safety. If the game is close, Bell kicker Waldur Guerra, the City Player of the Year last season in soccer, could make the difference.

Atascadero (6-0) at Lompoc Cabrillo (6-0), Saturday night--A 28-yard field goal with nine seconds left gave Cabrillo a 24-22 win and the Los Padres League championship in last season’s meeting at Atascadero. Atascadero, which began the season with the second-best winning percentage of the 1980s among Southern Section teams, is ranked second in the Northwestern Conference. Running back Adrian Cooks, averaging 6.7-yards a carry, leads the offense. Cabrillo quarterback Brian Grant is a double threat, and linebackers Terry Brantley, Taua Davis and Steve Piro head the defense for the conference’s No. 5 team.

Granada Hills Kennedy (2-3) at Granada Hills (5-0), Friday night--Granada Hills’ passing combination of quarterback Brent Spurlin and wide receiver Greg Fowble has become the most efficient in the City. Spurlin has thrown for 872 yards and 15 touchdowns, and Fowble, All-City last season, has 21 catches for 528 yards and 11 touchdowns. Kennedy lost to San Fernando, 21-7, in its Valley 4-A League opener and can’t afford another setback. Eric Evans has been the Golden Cougars’ starting quarterback all season, but may be replaced by Jeff Newman.

Westlake (4-2) at Camarillo (1-5), Friday night--Last season, on its way to the Coastal Conference title, Camarillo went undefeated in the Marmonte League. This year, the Scorpions have lost their first two games, so Coach Carl Thompson’s team needs a victory to stay in the playoff race. Westlake, 1-1 in league, is in the same position. The Warriors, coming off a 47-21 win over Santa Monica, are averaging 462.8 yards a game and have scored 107 points in their last two games. Quarterback Brad Gossen has passed for 1,110 yards and 13 touchdowns, and speedy wingback Gary Wellman has scored 13 times.