The Times All-County Team : Pallares, Stark, Katzaroff Top Selections : 1985: A Record-Breaker, On the Ground and Through the Air

Record-breaking running back Ray Pallares, quarterback Scott Stark and wide receiver Robby Katzaroff head the list of selections for The Times’ 27th All-Orange County high school football team.

Pallares, a 5-foot 11-inch fullback from Valencia, gained 5,398 yards in a brilliant, three-year career to become the state’s all-time rusher. Along the way, he broke Myron White’s county record of 4,164 yards and former Whittier Christian star Craig Johnson’s Southern Section mark of 5,213 yards.

Stark made his mark through the air. The 6-foot 3-inch senior from Capistrano Valley established a county single-season passing record with 3,154 yards, surpassing the mark of former Sunny Hills star Jim Karsatos.

It was the year of the quarterback in Orange County. Second-team selection Shane Foley of Newport Harbor broke Burt Call’s county career record with 5,264 yards in two seasons. Six quarterbacks--Stark, Foley, Tim Rosenkranz of Servite, Todd French of Canyon, Todd Marinovich of Mater Dei and Mike Angelovic of Edison--all passed for more than 2,000 yards.

Joining the aerial record parade was Katzaroff, Los Alamitos’ diminutive wide receiver. Katzaroff established a county record with 93 receptions to lead the Griffins to the Empire League title.

El Modena’s two-way lineman, Don Gibson, and La Quinta’s one-man wrecking crew, Bart Recktenwald, head the defensive unit. Gibson helped El Modena win two Southern Conference titles in three seasons, and Recktenwald will lead the Aztecs into the Central Conference title game on Friday night.

There are 26 high schools represented on the first and second teams. Edison, which will meet Long Beach Poly for the Big Five Conference title on Friday night, had two players selected to the first team and one to the second.

Pallares was chosen for the third straight year. He was a second-team choice as a sophomore and junior. Lineman Lance Zeno of Fountain Valley and John Porter of Marina also are repeat selections.

Scott Spalding, El Toro defensive tackle, was the only underclassman selected on the first team. Westminster sophomore linebacker, Ray Smith, was a second-team choice.

The back, lineman and coach of the year will be announced at an awards ceremony honoring the 23 first-team selections Sunday at 9:30 a.m. at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel. Lt. General Winfield W. Scott Jr., superintendent of U.S. Air Force Academy, will be the guest speaker.

Here’s a closer look at the selections, beginning with the defensive unit:

Lineman--Don Gibson (El Modena, 6-3, 255): Considered the the county’s premier lineman, Gibson was a two-way, three-year starter at tackle. He has received recruiting letters from every Pacific 10 team. His older brother, Boomer, was an all-county player for El Modena and is a part-time starter at the University of Arizona. “Don has the agility to get downfield and hit people,” said Bob Lester, El Modena’s retired coach. “He’ll make a great pulling guard in college. He’s an intelligent kid who is really tough. He’s the best lineman I’ve ever coached.”

Lineman--Bob Hamelin (Irvine, 6-2, 220): Hamelin was named the South Coast League’s Defensive Player of the Year and was a two-way, three-year starter. The Vaqueros’ run-oriented, Delaware Wing-T offense centered around Hamelin’s blocking and he was an outstanding pass rusher. “Bob’s greatest attribute was his intensity on the field,” Irvine Coach Terry Henigan said. “He made plays from sideline to sideline.” Hamelin is also a baseball prospect as a first baseman.

Lineman--Scott Spalding (El Toro, 6-5, 235): Charger Coach Bob Johnson called Spalding: “The best junior lineman in the county, if not the state.” Spalding was a two-way performer but excelled on defense where pass rushing was his forte. He is the son of Marty Spalding, El Toro line coach. “I’ve never seen a big kid play with the heart that Scott does,” Johnson said. “He really enjoys playing football. The true testimony to Scott was that he came back from arthroscopic knee surgery in only two weeks.”

Lineman--Robert Joubert (Pacifica, 6-2, 225): Truly one of a few good men, Joubert will become a Marine upon graduation in June. The 3.5 student started on both sides of the line for two years and is considered an excellent drive blocker with good explosion. “Robert is quick off the ball and a solid tackler,” said Bill Craven, Pacifica coach. “I’d also rate him as an excellent pass rusher. He’s a very intelligent player.”

Linebacker--Ted Valmassei (Servite, 6-0, 210): Valmassei continues the tradition of outstanding linebackers at Servite. He was the team’s leading tackler as a junior and senior and called the defensive signals. Valmassei, a 3.4 student, was described as a quiet leader who was a terrific hitter. “Ted is one of the most gentle kids you’ll ever meet off the field,” said Leo Hand, Servite coach. “But when he gets on the field, he’s very intense. He was our most respected player.”

Linebacker--Tom Quinn (Foothill, 6-2, 225): Foothill Coach Ted Mullen described Quinn as “a coach on the field.” The three-year starter is the son of former San Jose State assistant Mike Quinn and grew up watching football films instead of cartoons. He is one of only two players during Mullen’s five years at Foothill to start for three seasons. Former Times’ Lineman of the Year Joe Walshe, at USC, was the other. “From the very beginning, Tom was one of those kids who took charge,” Mullen said.

Linebacker--Mike O’Connor (Mater Dei, 6-2, 215): O’Connor was the heart of the Monarchs defense and was rated the team’s best hitter. He had 59 unassisted tackles, 85 assists, six quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He was named the school’s player of the week three times. “Mike was a dominant force and an enforcer on the field,” said Chuck Gallo, Mater Dei coach. “I’m sure he’s going to be recruited by somebody because he’s such a fine player.”

Linebacker--Bill Hardesty (Pacifica, 6-0, 190): The Defensive Player of the Year in the Empire League was a very versatile player. He started at both strong safety and linebacker for the Mariners for three years. Offensively, he was the team’s second-leading receiver and third-leading rusher. “Bill was truly a complete player,” Craven said. “He’s equally adept on both sides of the football. I think he’ll be recruited as a strong safety.”

Defensive Back--Dennis Erk (Mission Viejo, 5-10, 160): Erk has six interceptions entering Saturday night’s Southern Conference championship game against Santa Ana and has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns. “Dennis is a very, very intense player,” said Bill Crow, Mission Viejo coach. “Everything he does, whether it’s playing football or taking a classroom test, he does with intensity.” He also plays on the Diablos’ volleyball and basketball teams.

Defensive Back--Bill Craft (Marina, 6-0, 190): Craft’s older brother, Bob, also was an all-county selection. The duo own the school records for interceptions with Bill intercepting 15 passes in his three-year career and Bob intercepting nine passes in one season. “Bill is a once-in-a-lifetime player,” said Andy Donegan, the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. “He could play any position on the field. He’s a tremendous hitter and has great anticipation for the ball. I’ve never had a player who worked harder.”

Defensive Back--Bart Recktenwald (La Quinta, 6-0, 180): The ultimate big-play performer, Recktenwald has scored 21 touchdowns on a variety of interceptions, punt returns, kickoff returns, pass receptions and running plays. More than half of Rectkenwald’s scores have come on plays of 50 yards or longer, including two 92-yard interception returns. “Bart is a gifted player who has scored every possible way,” said Joe Zeno, La Quinta coach. “He’s an outstanding offensive, defensive and special teams player.”

The offensive team:

Tight End--Ken Griggs (Edison, 6-4, 217): Mark Boyer and Vic Rakhshani are former Charger tight ends who went on to play professional football. Bill Workman, Edison coach, is predicting Griggs will be the third to play professionally. “At this stage, Ken is above both Boyer and Rakhshani,” Workman said. “He has the combination of blocking and pass receiving that makes him a great one. He hasn’t practiced in nine weeks because of a pulled back muscle, but he’s always ready on game night.”

Wide Receiver--Robby Katzaroff (Los Alamitos, 5-9, 168): Katzaroff was the leading scorer in the regular season with 16 touchdown catches, five field goals and 28 conversion kicks for 139 points. He also led the county with 72 receptions for 1,152 yards and then caught 19 more passes in two playoff games to become the county’s record holder. “Robby made all the big plays for us for two years,” said John Barnes, Los Alamitos coach. “He’s a great team player and his contributions won a lot of games for us.”

Wide Receiver--Nathan Call (Capistrano Valley, 6-0, 180): Call proved to be adept as a quarterback or receiver during a standout, three-year career. He was the Cougars’ starting quarterback as a junior and then moved to wide receiver this season when Scott Stark transferred from Chaffey High. He caught 66 passes for 842 yards and 13 touchdowns during the regular season and then caught seven more passes in the playoffs to finish fourth on the county’s single-season reception list. “Nathan is the kind of kid every father would want for his son,” said Dick Enright, Capistrano Valley coach. “He’s a class act.” Call has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Brigham Young.

Offensive Tackle--Darran Baird (Dana Hills, 6-5, 250): Baird becomes only the second player from Dana Hills to earn first-team honors, joining former Dolphin tight end David Harris. He was a two-year starter and earned all-league honors both seasons. He is rated as an excellent pass blocker. “Darran was very consistent for two years,” said Don Douglass, Dana Hills coach. “He was a leader in action and a spirited competitor.” Baird is being recruited by UCLA, Cal, Brigham Young and Harvard.

Offensive Tackle--Randy Goens (Edison, 6-3, 253): Goens played both tackle and guard in the Chargers’ quest for the Big Five Conference title. He injured his knee in preseason conditioning drills and missed four games after undergoing arthroscopic surgery. He is rated as an excellent pass blocker. “Randy has good speed for a guy who is 253 pounds,” said Bill Workman, Edison coach. “He was the league’s heavyweight wrestling champion and finished fourth in the shot put. He’s a fine, all-around athlete.”

Offensive Guard--Joe Garten (Valencia, 6-3, 235): Garten was named the Orange League’s Lineman of the Year and was a three-year starter for the Tigers. He is being recruited by the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Brigham Young and Arizona. He follows his older brother, Steve, who was an all-county selection in 1981 and now plays for UNLV. “Joe is the best offensive lineman I’ve coached here in five years,” said Mike Marrujo, Valencia coach. “He had a lot to do with Ray Pallares’ yardage over the past three seasons.”

Offensive Guard--Allen Ennis (El Modena, 6-1, 200): With Ennis in the starting lineup for three years, the Vanguards went 36-5 and won two Southern Conference titles. He also doubled as a defensive tackle. He is being recruited by Ivy League schools and the service academies. “Don Gibson is the best lineman I’ve ever coached, and Allen isn’t far behind him,” Lester said. Lester projects Ennis as a middle or outside linebacker in college.

Center--Rick Costello (Mission Viejo, 6-4, 240): A two-year starter, Costello is considered a good trapping center with the ability to pull on occasion. The Diablos were a run-oriented team and the majority of the plays went directly over the center. Costello will graduate as class valedictorian and is being recruited by most of the Ivy League schools. “Rick was a joy to coach,” said Bill Crow. “He made all the line calls and was an extremely intelligent player.”

Quarterback--Scott Stark (Capistrano Valley, 6-3, 184): Stark is the son of former Chaffey Coach Ray Stark. He burst upon the scene with three touchdown passes in the Cougars’ 26-7 upset of Foothill in the season opener and went on to average 262 yards passing per game. He also threw for 29 touchdowns. Stark also is a starting guard in basketball. “Scott has the quickest release of anyone I’ve ever coached on the high school level,” Enright said. “He reminds me a lot of Dan Fouts.”

Running Back--Ray Pallares (Valencia, 5-11, 188): Few preps have ever received more publicity than Pallares. His record-breaking games were media events. Throughout the fanfare, Marrujo tried to downplay Pallares’ exploits. Now that the season has ended, Marrujo said, “Ray has always been underrated. Whenever he broke a record, someone was always saying, ‘but he’s not very fast.’ All I can say is that he’s the best back I’ve ever coached, and I had both Darrin and Kevin Nelson at Pius X.”

Running Back--Chuck Weatherspoon (La Habra, 5-8, 190): Weatherspoon combined speed, power and balance to become the county’s most sought-after prep runner since Kerwin Bell was at Edison. He averaged 9.9 yards per carry, scored 15 touchdowns and gained 1,478 yards in the regular season. “Chuck was the best running back in Orange County this year,” said Bob Rau, La Habra coach. “Nobody compares to him. He has great power, great moves and good speed. He can run inside or outside equally well with tremendous desire.”

Kicker--Gary Coston (Mater Dei, 6-0, 175): Coston kicked 15 field goals in two seasons, one short of former Newport Harbor star Art Sorce’s Southern Section career record. Coston also made the pressure, game-winning kicks. He had a 47-yarder with 52 seconds remaining to beat St. Paul and a 39-yarder with 13 seconds left to beat Westminster. “Gary was the single key ingredient in three victories for us this year,” Gallo said. “As a punter, he helped us to control field position. I can’t say enough good things about him.” First Team

Offense Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Yr. TE Ken Griggs Edison 6-4 217 Sr. WR Robby Katzaroff Los Alamitos 5-9 168 Sr. WR Nathan Call Capistrano Valley 6-0 180 Sr. OT Darran Baird Dana Hills 6-5 250 Sr. OT Randy Goens Edison 6-3 253 Sr. OG Joe Garten Valencia 6-3 235 Sr. OG Allen Ennis El Modena 6-1 200 Sr. C Rick Costello Mission Viejo 6-4 240 Sr. QB Scott Stark Capistrano Valley 6-3 184 Sr. RB Ray Pallares Valencia 5-11 188 Sr. RB C. Weatherspoon La Habra 5-8 190 Sr. K Gary Coston Mater Dei 6-0 175 Sr.

Defense Pos. Name School Ht. Wt. Yr. Line Don Gibson El Modena 6-3 255 Sr. Line Bob Hamelin Irvine 6-2 220 Sr. Line Scott Spalding El Toro 6-5 235 Jr. Line Robert Joubert Pacifica 6-2 225 Sr. LB Ted Valmassei Servite 6-0 210 Sr. LB Tom Quinn Foothill 6-2 225 Sr. LB Mike O’Connor Mater Dei 6-2 215 Sr. LB Bill Hardesty Pacifica 6-0 190 Sr. DB Dennis Erk Mission Viejo 5-10 160 Sr. DB Bill Craft Marina 6-0 190 Sr. DB Bart Recktenwald La Quinta 6-0 180 Sr.

Second Team Offense TE: John Carlson (Costa Mesa) 6-3 235 Sr. WR: Rick Justice (Edison) 5-9 170 Sr. WR: Jeff Fieldhouse (Servite) 5-11 172 Sr. OT: Lance Zeno (Fountain Valley) 6-4 255 Sr.; Xavier Hicks (Valencia) 6-1 230 Sr. OG: John Porter (Marina) 5-10 230 Sr.; Liale Afualo (Santa Ana) 6-0 240 Sr. C: David Brant (Westminster) 6-3 215 Sr. QB: Shane Foley (Newport Harbor) 6-1 191 Sr. RB: Glenn Campbell (Saddleback) 6-0 200 Sr.; Ross Bauer (El Modena) 5-9 165 Jr. K: Wade Clester (Loara) 6-2 185 Sr. Defense Line: Christian Galdabini (Servite) 6-4 227 Sr.; Peter Pesak (Saddleback) 6-0 220 Sr.; Dave Berkeley (Capistrano Valley) 6-4 220 Sr.; Jason Nedelman (Newport Harbor) 6-2 210 Sr. LB: Randy Hatch (Huntington Beach) 6-1 220 Sr.; Andy Ruscitto (Valencia) 6-3 220 Sr.; Chris Wright (Loara) 5-11 180 Sr.; Ray Smith (Westminster) 6-0 217 Soph. DB: Eric Brass (El Toro) 5-8 160 Sr.; John Ledesma (Esperanza) 5-11 170 Sr.; Fred Camarena (Brea-Olinda) 5-9 155 Sr.